House of Mirrors
by Sandylee007
Summary: Dr. Spencer Reid has a few secrets. When a face from the past comes begging for help and another is missing those secrets begin to unfold. At what price? The BAU team is confused upon meeting a group of people who seem to know their youngest better than they do. Who can be trusted? It hurts when a house of mirrors comes crashing down. REID WHUMP
1. It Begins With the Scarlet Letter

A/N: SO... A while back this AMAZING prompt was sent to me. And it TOTALLY swept me along! Which, of course, led to this fic gaining a spark of life. (grins) I've typed fics a bit like this one before but there should be a few brand new twists...

BUT, before getting to the actual story...

DISCLAIMER: (laughs so hard that falls from a chair) Are you kidding me here?! Me, own something? Yeah, I wish. I actually do. But alas, no. (pouts)

WARNINGS: Those of you who have read my fics before know these better than well. Violence, gore, disturbing material, adult themes. (Rated M for a reason, I fear...) Language. And not everyone will keep breathing until the last lines. (Let's just hope that my inner muse decides that all the good guys will...)

Awkay, before I succeed in scaring you all off... Let's get started! I REALLY hope that you'll enjoy the ride.

FOR INSPIRATION: Listen to 'Mirrors Fade' from Aimon. It's a bit creepy but sets the mood nicely. Another possibility is 'Ballad of Mona Lisa' from Panic At The Disco.

* * *

 _ **House of Mirrors**_

* * *

Prologue – It Begins With the Scarlet Letter

* * *

Ethan Wilkes, who turned thirty the previous day, enjoyed his job at the local police of Las Vegas. On most days, anyway. Today wasn't one of them. A couple of hours earlier a boy who looked positively starved had been dragged in.

Spencer Reid, age eighteen. Currently with no permanent address. His mother was a psychiatric patient he'd been forced to send into a hospital only months earlier, just weeks after legally becoming an adult. Earlier today Spencer had been caught trying to scam a casino in order to get money for her treatment and food.

Ethan groaned and ran a large hand through his sun-kissed blond hair, then swore mightily under his breath.

"Still a badmouth, then?" Approaching him was a man who couldn't have been further from Ethan's physical appearance. Tall, athletic, rich dark brown hair and with the kind of blue eyes that charmed every girl when they were young. They were childhood friends but by now the arrival's accent was nothing but a distant memory.

Ethan smirked, surprised. "Now how about that. Luther Brandt… What are you doing here?" As far as he knew the other hadn't visited his childhood city in ten years.

"I came to meet your guest, actually." Luther watched the visibly tense and positively miserable young man with keen interest. "What a cunning little thief you have there."

Ethan sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "A big headache, that's what he is. The brat got into a lot of trouble at the casino and not only because of his age." He looked at his visitor, feeling a sharp twinge of something almost paternal. It was hard not to feel protective over that poor creature. "Counting cards doesn't even begin to cut it. We've never seen the kind of a system he used. Too bad there were sharp eyes watching him. The five assaults aren't helping his case, either." He glanced towards his companion with a frown. "I can't guess what you'd want with him, though. Stealing money from one of those idiots doesn't sound like a pile the CIA would bother digging into."

Luther smiled. The man's fascinated deep blue eyes never shifted away from the boy. "Didn't you watch the security footage or read the reports? It took five men to get that scrawny brat down. And even then he put up one hell of a fight." The agent's attention was once more on him. "Would you mind if I had a few minutes alone with him?"

Ethan shrugged. "What good would my objections do?" Besides he had a feeling that his friend might have an offer for the poor kid. And he really didn't want to see that child behind bars.

Yes, they were friends once. But Ethan knew that there were situations that his humble security clearance didn't allow him to participate. So, smothering his roaring curiosity, he turned and walked away.

* * *

Spencer's whole body jolted when the door opened. He lifted his gaze so quickly that it hurt his neck. His stomach dropped as he took in the arrival's appearance.

A very expensive suit. At least two concealed weapons. Well, when then man wasn't stripped off them for security purposes. The smile was kind but those eyes were nothing short of dangerous while taking him in. "Hello, Spencer. I'm agent Brandt."

Agent, huh? Spencer gulped. Just how much of a trouble was he in?

He voiced as much. The other question slipped by before he managed to control his tongue. "What do you want from me?"

Agent Brandt's eyebrow bounced high up and for a moment Spencer worried that he might've crossed a line. Very slowly, however, the agent melted to a small smile. "I'm here today because I've heard rumors of your… system for two months now. Developing something like that requires a considerable amount of intelligence." The man rested his chin on one hand while the other's fingers drummed a haunting melody. "And today you took down five well trained security guards all by yourself. It wasn't until the police showed up you relented. Those two things combined, Spencer, make you a very… spectacular individual."

Spencer frowned. The drumming was really starting to get on his nerves. "I'm going to be arrested. I'll end up in jail." And the thought terrified him far more than he would've cared to admit. "I'm sorry, but… I can't see how I could be any use for you."

That was when the drumming finally became too much. Far faster than the agent could react he reached out. His hand slammed on top of the man's, trapping it effectively.

Agent Brandt seemed genuinely impressed. The man didn't look up until Spencer pulled his hand away as though the other's skin had burned. "How old are you?"

Spencer stiffened. "Eighteen." He hoped, from the bottom of his heart, that the agent bought his clumsy lie.

Suspicion that transformed to a realization flashed in Brandt's eyes. The man, however, didn't voice his evident doubts. "You're still very, very young. What would you say if I'd be able to save you from years in prison?"

Spencer didn't trust the agent. But if his alternatives were to accept the offer or to go to jail… "What other option would there be?"

"Rubik's Cube."

* * *

 ** _Present Day._**

* * *

"Stop poking at the stitches."

Spencer blinked innocently. His hand withdrew quickly, like that of a child who'd been caught doing something forbidden. "I wasn't."

Derek Morgan stifled a grin and rolled his eyes. "Yes, you were. You've been doing that since they let you walk out." The older man frowned. "Are you okay, kid? You've been pretty quiet for a few days now."

"Yeah." Spencer fought back a yawn, unwilling to succumb to the fatigue that weighed him down like a ton of bricks. "I've… I haven't been sleeping well lately."

"Nightmares?"

Spencer shook his head quickly. Too quickly. "Nah. Just… I can't sleep."

Derek wasn't impressed and let it show in his gaze. "Maybe you should switch to decaf for a while." A low blow, yes. But he didn't like being lied to.

Spencer's scandalized, wounded expression would've been worth a photograph.

Spencer shifted, not quite managing to hide a grimace. Worry filled Derek's eyes. "If it still hurts that much…"

Spencer sighed, apparently finding a much more comfortable position. And resumed poking at the stitches on his side. "It's just a scrape."

Derek groaned. "The guy tried to cut you open with a sword. I wouldn't call that a 'scrape'."

"Statistically…"

"Shut up or _I'll_ decaf you."

For several moments of comfortable silence the only sounds heard were Aaron Hotchner and David Rossi talking quietly on the opposite side of the jet and the rest of the team sleeping. Eventually it was Derek who spoke. "Reid… Whatever it is on that impossible mind of yours, you can tell me. You know that, right?"

That actually pulled a tiny, honest smile from Spencer. "I know. Thanks." Brief but from the heart.

Derek smiled back. "That's what friends are for, kid." He then groaned, finally noticing what his friend was still doing. "And leave the stitches alone or I'll tell Garcia to knit you mittens!"

* * *

A couple of hours later, sore, frustrated and exhausted, Spencer was just about to enter his home when his cell phone began to ring. His eyebrows furrowed and icy coldness filled him when he discovered who the caller was. Out of reflex he stepped in as fast as he could and made sure that the door was locked twice before daring to pick up. "Didn't we agree…?"

" _I know, I know. You retired. We've all moved on. But…_ " The other man sounded positively desperate. Were those stifled sobs? " _Spencer, please, I need your help. You… You have a new team now, right?_ "

Spencer's stomach knotted. He tensed up entirely, his eyes flashing. "I'm not going to get them involved." Not when back then…

" _Spencer, please!_ " By then the other man was definitely crying. There was a long, torturous pause. " _It's Scarlet. She's missing._ "

* * *

TBC

* * *

A/N: A bit short, but perhaps the start of... something.

Soooo... Any good, at all? Or something that should be squashed before it gains any more spark? PLEASE, do let me know! I'm getting pretty excited about this idea so it'd be nice to know if you're on board.

In any case, thank you so, so much for reading! And who knows. Maybe I'll see you again? Strange things happen on this planet.

Take care!


	2. It Was a Story About a Snake

A/N: Yup, it's time to update. BUT! Before getting to the point…

Oh… woah! Seriously. So many friends! THANK YOU, from the bottom of my heart, for this baffling amount of reviews, listings and support! You're absolutely amazing. (HUGS)

Awkay, before I'll become a total softie… Let's go! I REALLY hope that what's to come doesn't fail to meet your expectations.

* * *

It Was a Story About a Snake, a Scorpion and Magicians

* * *

/ _Two days after being released from police custody Spencer Reid stood in a shining, white elevator next to Luther Brandt. So far all he knew about the man was that the guy was a CIA team-handler, one with an inescapable job offer. Surely this was a better alternative to spending who knows how long in jail?_

 _"So…" Luther's eyes were observing the numbers of floors diving down yet he could've sworn that he was monitored. "I told your team about you yesterday. I must warn you, to a sudden they… may not seem like the friendliest bunch. But give them and yourself some time." Was that the beginning of a smirk? "Something tells me that you'll fit right in."_

 _Spencer wished that he'd been as convinced._

 _That was when the doors opened, revealing the biggest gym he'd ever seen. Spencer allowed his gaze to scan through it. To his immense surprise he sort of liked it. Then his eyes widened while his heart skipped a beat._

 _Entirely too close to the ceiling was a woman who seemed no more than a couple of years older than him. She was hanging from her ankles with her wrists tied behind her back. Her eyes were closed and there was a look of intense concentration on her face._

 _Spencer was about to step in when Luther's hand on his shoulder stopped him. "Don't, trust me. The last thing you want is to interrupt one of her training sessions."_

 _Spencer was about to argue but before he could get a word out of his mouth the rope that trapped her wrists fell down surprisingly loudly. Her long, reddish brown ponytail whipped angrily while she arched her upper body, one hand supporting her weight and the other beginning to free her ankles. In a flash she was ready. With sure, fast movements she swung herself from one metal bar to another, making her way towards the floor. She landed gracefully, already turned towards him with a smile on her face. "Hey. You must be Spencer." A New Yorker, then. Somehow she knew not to offer her hand for a shake. "I'm Scarlet."_

 _For a second, maybe two, Spencer stared. Then smiled back. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all. "Well… Hello."_

 _Before they had the time to continue the sound of an explosion rang through the wide space, making them all duck instinctively._

 _Luther sighed loudly, like a parent who'd had enough of their children acting up. "That would be Merlin." The man offered him a look that was one part sorry, one part amused. "Welcome to the family."_ /

* * *

A call in the middle of the night never promises anything good. Especially when you're a federal agent. Especially when you've seen the things a certain BAU-team has.

When Derek woke up to the sound of his cell phone ringing he groaned loudly, a harsh hand immediately shooting out to silence the offensive item. Savannah, still mostly asleep, groaned as well, almost as harshly as he did. He wasn't sure if the ice-cold hand swatting him was an accident. It took far longer than it should've before he managed to pick up. "Yeah?" he muttered.

" _Come to the bureau as fast as possible._ " Aaron sounded eerily awake. " _We… have a case._ "

Well, that most definitely roused Derek effectively. He nodded until he remembered that the other couldn't see it. "What?" He rubbed his face roughly with one hand. "Didn't we just come home from one?"

" _I know, and I'm sorry. But these circumstances are… unusual._ " There was something very unnerving in Aaron's tone. " _Just come here and we'll fill you in._ "

Derek frowned. "'We'?" The phone call was already over.

The frown deepening still Derek sighed, his shoulders slumping. Something told him that he wasn't going to like what was to come even one bit. He looked towards Savannah who had one of her eyes halfway open. "Sorry. I've gotta go."

Savannah shrugged, leaning forward just enough to press a lazy kiss to his shoulder. "'s okay. We both get those calls." She yawned. "But if you wake up the dogs you'll sleep with them for a month."

Derek grinned and kissed her forehead, pleased to have her hum with pleasure. He hated having to go, especially when he just came back. But this was what he signed up for and he knew that she, of all people, understood. "I'll see you soon."

"Hmm." She closed her eye slowly. He was almost out of the room when she murmured softly. "And Derek? You'd better be careful. I don't want to see you in my ER ever again."

Derek smiled. It was easy to hear every single one of the words that she wasn't saying. "Aren't I always careful?" His eyebrows furrowed as he looked around, spinning a couple of circles.

"If you're looking for your boxers, _Mr. Bond_ , check the lamp because they flew pretty high."

* * *

It took Derek infuriatingly long to make it to his destination. By the time he reached the briefing room his head had come up with at least ten possibilities as to what kind of a case prompted this night-time invitation. The sight in the room struck out most of the air in Derek's lungs.

Aaron was standing there with a grim look on his face. Spencer, his hair a mess and signs of despair loud on his face, sat like the bottom had just dropped from his world. Absolutely all of the genius seemed to be begging for help.

This was far too much like Maeve Donovan all over again.

Based on the tense air in the room the rest of the team agreed. Derek didn't have the patience to wait until Spencer started talking. "Reid? What's going on?"

Spencer swallowed loudly, seeming very unsure as to where he should start. "I… Someone I used to know just contacted me." The young man's eyes went through them all, as though trying to profile how much they were ready to hear. "This BAU-team… It isn't the first one I've been a part of. A member of my former team has gone missing."

At this point Aaron stepped in before any questions could be made. "Agent Scarlet Moreau. Code-name Viper." He showed them the picture of a very beautiful young woman. She had long, cherry-wood colored hair and dark eyes that held intense focus even in the photo. "Her team had just finished a CIA-operation. They grew worried when she didn't show up for debriefing. They investigated her apartment to find signs of an intense struggle. She hasn't been seen since. That was twenty-seven hours ago."

The team digested the information for a while, confused. It was hard to think past the revelation that Spencer had a team before them. "It could have something to do with the mission they just completed", Jennifer Jareau suggested. "Maybe someone was still out for revenge."

Aaron shook his head. "I just spoke with the team's handler. The team was… efficient. The information is highly classified but he assured me that no hostiles were left." The announcement sent a breeze of chill through the room.

David Rossi frowned, shaking his head. "Classified missions? Code-names? What is this, Special Ops?"

Aaron, however, didn't seem to appreciate the joke. The unit chief nodded. "Yes."

That froze and silenced the room for several long moments.

In the end it was Spencer who spoke. There was a great deal of apology in his eyes. "I'm sorry. I never wanted to get you involved. I don't expect…"

Alex Blake interrupted him with taking his hand, firmly yet gently. "Reid, you have nothing to be sorry about. I'm glad that you came to us."

The others were quick to nod their agreement. "And of course we'll help", Derek promised. Yes, it hurt him that yet again Spencer had been keeping secrets. He wanted answers, a lot of them. But they'd have to take this slowly. "So that former team of yours… They're CIA?"

Spencer fidgeted, seeming even more nervous than before. "Well… Between us, the team does work under the CIA. Officially they don't exist. That's why there isn't a mark of it on my records. It was put together to handle mainly international missions considered… unsuitable for the rest of the agency."

"You mean the kind of things those in charge wanted to sweep under the carpet?" David translated in a dry tone.

Spencer opened his mouth. Then closed it again and shrugged. "Well… Yes. If such a team or agent fails it's easy to claim that they acted without orders."

"CIA won't be working with us", Aaron announced. He folded his arms, nodding towards the picture of Scarlet. "Officially we're looking for a missing person that it presumed an UnSub's victim."

"Have we even been officially called to investigate this case?" JJ asked, a touch of disbelief and a great deal of curiosity audible in her voice.

Aaron and Spencer shared a look. Something about it made the others' alarm bells ring. "Yes, we've been invited."

There were a million questions that Derek would've wanted to make. He didn't get to voice a single one of them just yet. For exactly a second later a young security guard appeared, a look of immense discomfort on his face. "There's, ah… A couple of men are asking to have a word with you. They seemed… insistent."

Spencer groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. Aaron settled with breathing in deep. "As soon as you've made sure that they're unarmed send them in."

The security guard blinked twice. Most likely questioning their sanity. Then nodded slowly and disappeared. Something told Derek to brace himself for a bumpy ride. Or quite possibly a tornado sweeping in.

They all stood up when steps approached the room, unsure what to expect. The first man entering immediately sent a shudder of cold through Derek. The arrival was at least a head's worth taller than him and the large spider tattooed to the back of his bald head didn't make the appearance any more reassuring. Nor did the flash in the razor-sharp blue eyes that met him, sizing him up from head to toe like he'd been a piece of meat at a market. "You said that we can trust these people." Where was _that_ accent from?

"Yes", Spencer confirmed, stepping forward. It was impossible to tell if the dominant visible feeling was amusement, nervousness or annoyance. "They've been my friends for years, now. Relax, Leo."

Leo's eyebrow arched. "You're telling _me_ to relax? I'm not the one who threatened to bash the guard's teeth in."

It wasn't until then the group became properly aware of the second new person in the room. The rather small man with perfectly cut, slightly messy dark brown hair couldn't be described as anything but beautiful. The promise of danger in those big, brown eyes had most likely broken a lot of hearts. Well, based on the cuffs the man was wearing he rarely failed to meet that promise.

Spencer sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping a little. "So… How's the anger management going?"

The smaller man grinned in a far from sheepish manner. "The therapist has no idea what she's doing outside bed." The stranger then went through them all with his gaze, a blinding, honest smile of delight on his face. "Ah, you must be the famous BAU! It's been fascinating to watch you and Spencey on TV." Only the clatter of metal alerted them that the cuffs had been removed. The man began to advance with determined steps, rubbing his wrists. "So are we going to start working or stand here gawking at each other?"

At this point the security guard took his leave. Based on the poor guy's expression he didn't want to stay and possibly witness a murder. Derek feared that it wasn't a pointless concern.

Most likely to prevent the oncoming mayhem Spencer took care of the introductions. He started with his new team, then focused on the old one. "These two are Dante Watson and Leonardo Farris. We worked together for five years."

That surprised Derek. Five years… That's a long time.

"We have an hour and a half before the jet is ready." Aaron's eyes were those of a firm leader. "If we're going to work together we're going to need some answers."

"Well, since I've already tested FBI's bracelets why don't I go first?" Dante stepped forward with a charming smile and winked at JJ. "To you I'll answer anything."

"Married", David warned.

Dante rolled his eyes. "Yes, I did see the ring." He measured her up with a very openly curious gaze. "I'm going to find out whether the marriage is a happy one."

* * *

About nine minutes later Spencer wasn't very surprised to find Leo outside smoking. He sighed, taking a stand beside the taller man. "Those things are going to kill you", he pointed out.

One corner of Leo's lips twitched, just a little. "So you kept telling me for five years, two months and twenty-one days." The CIA-agent's eyes softened. "Lettie is almost as bad."

Spencer inhaled, involuntarily getting a generous dose of the poisonous smoke. "We'll find her", he murmured, focusing firmly on the traffic passing by. All of a sudden he felt old beyond his years.

"You and I both know that with the… friends we've made there's no way you can promise that." There was a long, surprisingly comfortable silence until Leo went on. "I'm sorry that I called you. I know how hard you've worked to build this new life."

"It doesn't erase the one I used to have." They looked at each other, both marveling the subtle little ways the years that'd passed had changed them. "You're still my family, too. I shouldn't have forgotten that."

Leo mouth twitched to a rare, small smile. The older man turned away, inhaling a generous breath of smoke. "The Great Rubik Five", the agent mused out loud, his tone almost fond.

Spencer looked down, a wave of sadness washing over him. "Yeah." There was so much, so very much, that he would've wanted to say. But for some reason the words were missing.

"This life suits you better." They'd been quiet for so long that Leo's words startled him. How was it possible that the man seemed to be observing him intently even when looking away? "It's good to see you with them. You look happy."

Spencer stared at the sky. And came to a sudden realization that startled him with its force. "Yeah. I guess I am."

The silence that followed, warm and comfortable as a blanket, was the atonement Spencer had been yearning since the day he walked away.

"So…", he started at last. A hint of mischief in his voice. "I noticed the way you walked. How did you lose a toe?"

Leo's face transformed to a dry expression. The man's nose wrinkled. "An accident with one of my experiments. Earned me a day at the torture den." Coming from Leo that was actually a very polite way of calling the base's medical wing.

Spencer winced. He felt as sorry for the staff as for Leo. "At least the coffee there is good."

A nearly dreamy look appeared to Leo's eyes. The man nodded firmly. "It is."

"What did you do with the toe?"

"What's left of it is in a jar on top of my treasure shelve."

"Of course."

* * *

JJ was surprised by how civil Dante became when they made it to one of the smaller briefing rooms. Well, to a point. The man leaned forward, chin resting on his hands and that disturbingly pleasant expression on his face. "You said that you had questions, agent Jareau. Do share, so I'll know how to help you."

His intense gaze, full of none too subtle hints, actually swerved JJ off course for a second or two. She gathered herself with the experience of a field agent. "Why don't you start with describing your relationship with agent Moreau."

Dante's eyebrow bounced up. "Is that your way of asking if I've ever bedded her? And I thought I was… direct." He chuckled, shaking his head. "No, definitely no! Even I'm not stupid enough to shit into my own nest." His fingertips began to drum while he got lost into a thought or perhaps two. "We became teammates a couple of months before Spencer joined us. So I'd say that we know each other fairly well by now."

JJ nodded, genuinely stunned. After all those those years the three were basically a family. "Did you notice anything alarming before she disappeared?"  
Dante frowned. His eyes seemed ever darker than before. "She was tense. Carried an extra knife with her. I figured that she was preparing for a high risk mission." Seeing her surprise he continued. "We go solo pretty often."

"What kind of operations does she handle?" She clarified as soon as she saw his lips begin to open. "I know that you can't give me any details. But it's highly likely that one of her missions backfired. That's why we need to get a picture of what kind of people you deal with."

The look on Dante's face was nothing short of grim. "Well… That's why we need your help. Scarlet… She's specialized in elimination. Locate and terminate. Quick, subtle and efficient." The CIA-agent gritted his teeth. "If one of her targets caught up with her we're running out of time. Because they won't hesitate to take her down first."

JJ swallowed, cold shivers running through her. An actual assassin, huh? "I'm so sorry that I have to ask this, because this is going to sound incredibly insensitive. But I need to know this, so we all understand where we stand." She took a breath. "Do you think that we have a chance of finding her alive?"

"No."

* * *

Penelope Garcia's head was spinning. Having been woken up in the middle of the night right after coming back from a case was one thing. Having all this new information on top of it…

She yelped when a hand was laid to her shoulder.

"Sorry, baby girl", Derek sighed. He seemed even more tired and tense than she felt. "I didn't mean to startle you."

Penelope inhaled deep. "Yeah, well… This all has me a little… jumpy." She stared at her computer screen, trying to bring some sense to it all. "Our Reid, a secret agent… Can you believe it?"

Derek shook his head. There was hurt and confusion on his face. "I can't believe that he hid all of this from us."

Penelope smiled sadly. "He didn't really have a choice, did he?" She kept typing, pleased to discover that one of the nets she'd cast seemed to be catching something. "That old team of his is… interesting."

Derek gave her a dry look. "Interesting is one word", he muttered.

Just then Aaron, Spencer and Leo walked in. Something told her that whatever conversation the three had had, it wasn't pleasant. "Wheels up in fifteen", Aaron announced. He nodded towards the computer. "Did you find anything?"

"Hang on…" Penelope's fingers flew for a few moments. Then she emitted an exclaim of delight. "Yes! Now we're talking. This place is only five minutes' walk from her home."

The men leaned closer. What she had on display was a security camera's footage. A couple was leaving a small café, with the man having wrapped a protective arm around the woman. It might've seemed innocent enough if they hadn't recognized the woman as Scarlet. Her expression was remarkably well composed but something about her eyes made alarm bells ring. She looked around, eventually focusing her attention on the camera. Satisfied that her departure had been recorded she disappeared to a clearly expensive black car.

Their attention focused on her companion. The footage was black and white but they were able to distinguish a tall, much trained frame, dark hair on a neat ponytail and a long, black coat. He kept his face hidden infuriatingly well. They did, however, see a scorpion tattoo on his neck.

Both Spencer and Leo stiffened at the sight, obviously recognizing it.

"Reid?" There was a warning in Derek's voice. "If you know that guy now would be a good time to share."

Spencer stared for a moment. Then shook his head. "Just… a coincidence. That man is dead."

"How can you be so sure?" Aaron pointed out.

Spencer lifted his chin a little. He squeezed the desk before him so hard that his knuckles turned white. "Because I shot him in the head."

"What time did that take place?" Leo demanded sharply.

Penelope did some digging. In a bit her eyes flashed with satisfaction. "There you go." She glanced towards the man. "Why?"

Leo's jaw tightened while he fished out his cell phone. In a few moments he showed them a text message. "Because seventeen minutes later I got this."

They leaned forward to read. It was very brief. Somehow it was still chilling enough.

' _Sorry I'm late, honey. I forgot the milk._ '

Aaron frowned. His eyes were sharp upon meeting the CIA-agent's. "What does that mean?"

Spencer and Leo exchanged a look. It was the larger man who replied. "'Run'."

* * *

TBC

* * *

A/N: Some team Reid had! (chuckles) But oh boy, it seems that trouble is up ahead. Just what are they getting involved in? And at what price?

Soooooooo… Any good, at all? Back to the drawing board? The word is now yours!

Until next time, ya all! Who knows. Maybe I'll see you there.

Take care!

* * *

 **emma** : Your wish is my command! (bows) I really hope that you'll enjoy the next one as well.

Monumental thank yous for the review!

* * *

 **Guest** : I'd say! (grins) We'll see just what's to come.

Lots of thank yous for the review!

* * *

 **Patricia** : So do I! Good to hear that I'm not the only one. (grins) I really hope that you'll enjoy what's to come!

HUGE thank yous for the review!

* * *

 **Guest80** : Awww, I'm so glad to hear that! (BEAMS) Hopefully the chapters up ahead meet your expectations.

Massive thank yous for the review!


	3. The Riddle of Rubik's Cube

A/N: I'm SO SORRY about the day's delay! But it seemed that the site AND my head were having… brain-indigestion simultaneously. (A couple of scenes in this chapter took their sweet time before dawning on me.) BUT, happy news! The site's working now and I know EXACTLY where this story is headed. Which promises fairly regular updates. (BEAMS)

Before getting to the actual point, though… THANK YOU, a million times, for the baffling amount of reviews you've showered this story with! I'm seriously shocked here. It's AWESOME to have all of you on board for this ride!

Awkay, because my cliffies are cruel enough even without this stalling… Let's going! I truly hope that you'll find this chapter worth the extra day of waiting.

* * *

The Riddle of Rubik's Cube

* * *

/ _A day after meeting Scarlet it was time for Spencer to be introduced to the rest of the team while she was preparing for a solo-mission. He found three young men waiting for him and Luther. The large one with a spider tattooed on his bald head was who caught his attention first._

 _"So, here's the team." There was a great deal of amusement in Luther's voice. "That would be Leonardo. Or Merlin, whichever name he prefers to use today." Then his attention was led to a much smaller man who looked back with a great deal of curiosity. "And this is Dante, who is sure to make me go gray before my time."_

 _Dante rolled his eyes. "Don't be such a drama queen, old man." The young man then looked at him once more. "Are you sure that the kid's eighteen?"_

 _Luther smiled wryly. "Yes, Dante." There was, however, something in his eyes that made Spencer wonder just how sure he really was._

 _Dante clearly saw it, too. Still, apparently deciding that their handler's word was enough, the young man grinned at Spencer. "In that case, welcome to the family. I'm sure that we'll have a good time together."_

 _Spencer didn't doubt it for even a second and wasn't sure how worrying it was._

 _"Gabriel." Luther's eyes shifted towards the room's fifth occupant. "Why don't you show Spencer around while I prepare for his evaluation discussion?"_

 _The mentioned young man had been silent so far, merely observing Spencer with intent green eyes that seemed to see far too much. The man nodded, making his long brown plait bounce, then got up. He was at least as tall as Spencer. "Of course." Very smooth and polite yet oddly dangerous underneath. Was that a faint British accent? "Why don't you follow me?"_

 _As soon as they were out of the others' earshot Spencer spoke. "Thanks, for being my tour guide." He didn't know what else to say, especially with how chillingly shadowy the hallway around them was becoming. Wasn't this how a lot of horror movies started?_

 _"You shouldn't thank me. I was given this task because I know the building better than anyone else. And also so that I'd get the opportunity to… caution you. Soon I'll explain to you exactly what happens to the people who choose to betray this team and the agency. But before that… Coffee." By then they'd reached the elevator. Gabriel offered him a very pleasant, genuine smile. "Which way first, up or down?"_

 _Spencer wondered if there was a wrong answer and what the cost would be._

 _After the round Spencer was late for his evaluation. In his hurry he must've taken a wrong turn and was in for a surprise. Because on his way he saw a slightly ajar door. In a place where everything seemed to be locked it stood out. Far more curious than would've been advisable he peered in. Whatever he'd been expecting… This wasn't it._

 _In the room Scarlet was just getting dressed. She'd already pulled on a pair of ridiculously high heeled black shoes and tapped one of them impatiently while struggling with her tiny red dress. It was still open from the back, revealing most of the skin there and bits of her underwear. Spencer swallowed hard, several parts of him appreciating the sight a little too much._

 _Scarlet sensed his stare, of course. She spoke without looking at him, her tone stunningly casual. "Could you help me with the zipper? It's stuck."_

 _Spencer was moving before he got the chance to properly process what he was doing. "Sure." His hand slipped as he started, brushing her skin clumsily yet gently. They both shivered but neither commented it. "What's the mission about, anyway?"_

 _"Just information gathering." It was as though she'd been talking about the weather. "Don't look so worried. It should be quick and painless."_

 _This time it was Spencer who sensed a stare. Looking up he found her watching him through the mirror hanging in front of them. "That isn't exactly polite", he pointed out although he didn't really mind._

 _Scarlet smiled. "Sorry. I was just… wondering." Finally the zipper was moving. He felt her breathing pattern when his hand traveled up, up, up. He was almost sure that she felt his pulse because his wrist was basically leaning against her. His fingers tingled and the bizarre sensation distracted him to a point where he barely realized that she was talking. "I was trying to figure out how someone like you ended up to this team."_

 _Spencer stiffened a little. Those memories were still far too fresh and clear. "I… tried to help someone." He didn't find it necessary to mention that it was his mom "It didn't work out right."_

 _"Would you do it again?"_

 _"Yes." There was so little hesitation that it startled him. He opened his mouth to clarify, only to realize that all words failed him._

 _By then the zipper was very much dealt with. Still his hand lingered on her back while the other had found its way to her hip. Her breathing pattern was the same but it felt like she'd arched closer. His pulse was racing._

 _"Thank you." Scarlet let her hair fall and he wondered if she let them brush his hand on purpose. She turned around, so close that they felt each other's breath. Electricity was thick in the air. A faint, alluring scent of vanilla met his nose. "I hope that you'll choose to stay. It'd be fun to have you around."_

 _Spencer gulped, almost sure that he could taste her although it was impossible. "I wouldn't leave. No other legal way would get me the money this does." He didn't have enough brain function for anything but honesty. He took a deep breath and felt her do the same. "I should go. The evaluation is about to start."_

 _Scarlet smiled sweetly. "It already did." With those words she was on her way out of the room, her heels clapping as she went. "See you later." The only things she left behind were the scent of vanilla and a strange burning under his skin that wouldn't go away._ /

* * *

A somewhat awkward silence lingered in the jet while Spencer's two families tried to get used to each other. In the end Derek was the one who found his voice first, hating the unnatural quiet. "So… Where, exactly, are we going?"

"To the serpent's lair", Dante announced, obviously displeased with the strictly closed environment. His fingers were drumming restlessly against the arm rest. "Or Scarlet's home, if you will. Since the CIA has made it perfectly clear that the disappearance of one of their agents is none of their fucking business we'll go unofficial. They'll approve as long as we stay out of headlines."

Spencer seemed to stifle a laughter. One of the genius' eyebrows bounced up. "You, staying out of headlines? Remember Vancouver?"

"Hey!" Dante protested. A finger was pointed at Leo, who'd been absorbed into what looked like a deep meditative state. "Does Dublin ring a bell? Merlin there blew up the city's biggest meth lab!" Some mirth lit up in the man's eyes. "And you, dear Prophet, have no room to criticize anyone's theatrics after Madrid."

A faint red hue took over Spencer's cheeks but the young man's composure held remarkably well. The words muttered definitely weren't English. Based on Dante's dramatic roll of eyes they weren't entirely mature, either.

That, however, wasn't what caught his new team's attention. They leaned forward, curiosity loud and clear in their eyes. "'Prophet'?" Derek repeated, his voice carrying hints of curiosity and amusement.

Dante shrugged. "We all have a code name. Tell me one thing that the guy doesn't know." None of them could come up with any. The CIA-agent smirked. "Exactly."

The easy, joking air was a relief after the earlier tension. Alex smiled while lifting her gaze from the thin file in her hands. "If you all have a code name what's yours?"

She'd just swallowed a bait. Dante smiled radiantly, looking directly into her eyes with a gaze that held no subtle hints. "Wouldn't it be so much more fun to try and guess?" he purred.

"Stop embarrassing yourself." Leo, who'd resurfaced from his thoughts without any of them noticing, wasn't even trying to hide his smirk. "We're about to land."

* * *

It was a small, private airport. Dust danced around the jet as it landed with a screech of fury. The teams emerging found a single man waiting for them, his expression grim. After hurried introductions the BAU learned that he was Luther Brandt. Somehow none of them was surprised that the CIA-handler knew all of them already.

"I wish that we had more time but I don't trust this place." Despite the situation agent Brandt managed a polite smile. The man's attention shifted towards Spencer. For a microsecond or so something close to warmth could be seen. "It's been a while."

Spencer smiled back. There seemed to be a million secrets hiding in the young man's eyes but the happiness over the reunion was genuine. "Yeah, it has."

Just like that it was back to all business. "I assume that you want to see Scarlet's apartment. I'll give you the address and follow you there." To most their surprise the man's gaze locked on Aaron. "There's a lot we need to talk about. Alone."

Aaron nodded, his eyebrows furrowing, but didn't ask.

Spencer surprised them with being the next to speak. "My old place… Is it still…?"

Dante chuckled. "Of course. You think anyone else would be insane enough to live there? And what would we have done with your stuff?"

Spencer's shoulders dropped with relief. "Good. There's… I need to go and get something."

"I'll go with you." Derek went on before any objections could be voiced. "With all this mess I'm not letting you go there alone."  
Anyone could tell that Spencer didn't appreciate the idea but there was fairly little he could do when Derek's mind was made up.

"Okay. Since all's settled, let's go." There was something unnerving on Luther's face. Or then they were all getting paranoid. "Like I said I don't trust this place and we don't have any time to waste."

As they went the BAU-team couldn't help wondering what they just signed up for.

* * *

Aaron Hotchner had been an agent and a team-leader for a very long time. He was a rather smart man with steel-hard self-control and an immense amount of concentration. Yet somehow this all failed to make any sense to him.

"Agent Hotchner." Luther, who'd been driving the car, gave him a sharp look. "There was a reason why I wanted to have this ride alone with you. And the expression on your face proves that I was correct."

Aaron gritted his teeth and looked away. He spent a mighty moment trying to find the words. "I just don't appreciate my agents keeping secrets of this magnitude from me."

"And you don't have any?" Luther didn't seem impressed. "As soon as I found out which team Spencer landed I ran a background check on you all." There was a moment of silence. "Some secrets must be kept. No matter how little we'd like to."

Of course Aaron understood that. Which didn't make the revelation any less of a shock. But if he was really honest with himself… Was he more upset about not having been told or not having seen what was right before his eyes?

In the way Spencer suddenly became the team's best shooter.

In the brutal number of times Spencer saved himself before the team ever got to him.

In the way Spencer seemed to have a plan out of every situation because in his world not having a one meant certain death.

Aaron sighed, shaking his head. Some profilers they were… "We all thought that he was a rookie agent trying to get used to everything."

Luther smiled a little. "He's full of surprises. And you should see his security clearance." The man sighed, taking a turn to right. "It's too easy to underestimate him."

Yes, it was, Aaron had to admit with a great deal of shame. His expression then hardened with determination and something else entirely. "Whatever happened in his past… He's been a part of my team for a very long time." He had a feeling that it wasn't necessary to say anything more. It was all mentioned very clearly between the lines.

"I understand." The CIA-handler's eyes were harder than stone. "He's my family, too. Just like Scarlet. I'm going to do everything under my power to make sure that they'll be safe."

Considering the words exchanged the silence that followed them was stunningly comfortable. Eventually Luther shattered it. "If Spencer's spent this long in your team he trusts you. Did he tell you about Rubik's Cube?"

Aaron nodded stiffly. Ah, so they were getting to the actual point of this one-on-one. He didn't know how much he could safely admit. "Yes."

Luther nodded back. The car took a sharp turn to left. "In that case you understand why going to the CIA isn't an option." The handler gritted his teeth very hard. "I have a feeling that he didn't tell you everything, though. I may have to fill you in on a few details…"

* * *

The air was thick with tension in the vehicle to which Leo, David and JJ had crammed. The group's only woman had announced rulership over the steering wheel, stating that she wanted the boys to have some sparring time on the backseat. She had a hunch of what was about to come long before David started the little less than subtle interrogation.

"I'm going to be completely honest with you because I expect nothing less from you in return." The senior agent's eyes were hard and demanding when she sneaked a glance towards him through the rear-view mirror. "Whatever has happened to Scarlet… I have a strong feeling that it has something to do with your team. We've already questioned Dante. Now it's your turn to speak up if you know something valuable."

To the FBI-agents' surprise Leo smiled. It was almost affectionate. "No wonder Spencer's so fond of you." Without clarifying any further the man skipped to the actual topic at hand. "Our team… I'm not sure how much you've already heard but it's… special. Which is why CIA isn't exactly jumping at the chance to confess us as theirs."

David groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Why do I have a feeling that I'm not going to like this…" With an admirable amount of courage the older man pushed on. "What do you mean by 'special'?"

Before JJ got to hear the answer her cell phone began to ring. She picked up after making sure that her Bluetooth was on. She frowned upon discovering that the caller was Garcia. "Hey. Have you found out something?"

" _Yeah, I… I guess you could say that._ " Penelope swallowed loudly. " _Is Leo or Dante nearby? Just answer yes or no._ "

JJ did her best to keep her expression in check. Having to focus on the road made it a bit easier. "Yeah, sure. Why?"

" _I just did an unbelievable amount of digging. And something came up. The CIA had probably used up all their resources to hide it but I found just enough bread crumbs to…_ " Penelope caught herself with a massive gulp of air. " _Sorry, I'm babbling. Just…_ " The pause that followed was torturous. " _Reid's former team… They're not your average bunch._ "

JJ felt something twist uncomfortably deep within. Her hold on the steering wheel tightened. "Oh, really?" Keeping her tone casual was a massive challenge.

" _Really._ " Penelope sounded truly shaken. " _They all have criminal records that'd been wiped blank. Reid included._ "

* * *

The first thing Scarlet felt upon waking up was metal strapping her wrists. Hard. No wiggling out of these cuffs, then. The next thing that registered was pain radiating from the numerous bruises and other injuries she had. No broken bones, though. With years of experience she would've definitely recognized those. She was concussed, yes, but she'd made it through worse. She wasn't very worried about the present situation. Instead she worried a great deal about everything there was to come.

"If you'd be so kind, agent Moreau, and open your eyes. We're busy. And when we get impatient it usually hurts."

Refusing to admit defeat with a groan Scarlet finally opened her eyes. Just one man stood before her, arms folded. It felt like someone had spat at her face. _One man_?!

Her eyes were sharp while they examined her threat. He wasn't quite as petite as Dante but certainly shorter than average. Shortcut, wavy dark brown hair. A pair of piercing brown eyes. She was fairly sure that she saw a scar above his upper lip but it could've easily been a trick of light. He seemed to be in his thirties but something about his eyes suggested that he was much older. Scarlet had absolutely no idea who he was. And somehow that very detail succeeded in being the most troubling of all. "Who are you?" she growled at last.

He smiled, stepping towards a small table placed to a far corner of the room. He positioned himself purposefully so that she couldn't see what he was doing. She did see his bare feet, though. They had multiple scars. "The Doctor." He found something from the table that, based on the exclaim of delight, pleased him. It was concealed from her sight quickly. "Now, I'm sorry to rush you but I have another patient coming in soon so I'm on a bit of a schedule." He clapped his hands together, ignoring the mystery item in his pocket for the time being. "I've been asked to get some answers and I have two ways of getting them. The easy one which, between the two of us, I'd recommend. And the hard way, which I'd enjoy a great deal more." He shrugged at her glare. "Go on, don't be shy. The choice is all yours."

All of a sudden the whole situation made far too much sense to Scarlet. The Doctor was a legend. No one seemed to know his real name but they'd all heard the stories. He was known for his brutal methods and efficiency. When he wanted answer he always got them. Her whole team both feared and admired him.

The Doctor was no terrorist. Not even a criminal. He was a CIA-agent.

And she was screwed.

He didn't seem to appreciate her silence. Irritation flashed in his eyes. "Agent Moreau, you need to understand that you're about to face some very heavy charges. Because of the actions of both yourself and your team you may soon be labelled a terrorist. You've all betrayed the agency. Give me the answers that I want and I may be able to reduce your sentence."

Of course Scarlet wouldn't give him any answers. This was her team, her family, at stake. She watched how he dragged a chair unnecessarily loudly, positioning himself so close that she could almost feel his body heat. That infuriating device was never revealed to her. Instead of it she focused firmly on his eyes. "What the hell do you want?" she hissed at last. Of course she knew but she was going to buy every single second she could.

The Doctor leaned closer still. "What I want… is that you tell me everything about Rubik's Cube. And Philosopher's Stone."

* * *

Spencer felt like he'd stepped backwards in time while he approached the eerily familiar apartment building. It was such a long time from the last time he saw this place. Yet somehow it felt like he never left. Inside and out.

Mainly to focus on present instead of all the memories he glanced towards Derek. The look on his friend's face made his stomach tighten uncomfortably. "I'm sorry", he whispered, his voice full of sincerity. "That I kept… _this_ hidden from you all. It wasn't that I didn't trust you…"

Derek's firm shake of a head interrupted him quickly. The man's tense expression was impossible to read. "Not yet. Let's just focus on getting this case solved."

Spencer hated things between them being like this. But he didn't exactly have choice. And soon something else claimed his full attention.

The third floor apartment that used to belong to him… The lights were on. And he could hear a car pulling to a stop behind the building, right out of their sight. They had less than two minutes before trouble would find them.

Derek, of course, also sensed that something was wrong. The man appeared painfully tense while his eyes darted towards the window that he just looked at. "Wasn't it supposed to be empty?"

"Morgan." Spencer sounded harsh even to his own ears. He didn't care. "What is about to happen… I don't want you to have _anything_ to do with it. Do you understand? I don't want you to get involved. So get the hell away from here, right now."

For exactly a second Derek was stunned into silence. The man then shook his head firmly, stubbornly. "Reid, I'm not leaving you to face this alone. No way!"

Spencer knew his best friend well enough to realize that the man wasn't about to relent. Which left him with only unpleasant possibilities. His stomach sunk heavily and a firm band squeezed itself around his chest. He swallowed, not managing to erase the horrific taste that'd made a nest into his mouth. "I'm sorry." Already as the last syllable fell he was making his move.

The hit stunned Derek completely. There was a momentary flash of shock, betrayal and anger. Then his friend's eyes rolled to the back of his head and the man fell heavily.

Spencer was quick to catch Derek. Gently, gently he supported his teammate's weight and guided the man to a nearby small alley. Dark and secluded. Derek would be perfectly safe there for the time being. Leaving him there, unconscious and defenseless, was the last thing Spencer wanted to do. But he didn't exactly have a choice. Full of remorse and sorrow he squeezed his friend's shoulder, thus giving a one last pleading apology. Then made his way back to street.

Spencer had been correct, of course. He wasn't alone very long. He counted the figures closing in on him from the shadows and made it to ten.

This wouldn't be pleasant.

"You shouldn't have come back", a far too familiar male voice pointed out. Was that remorse or pity? "Your team… Despite everything you did some remarkable things as well. I wouldn't have wanted it to come to this."

Spencer snorted. "To what? Your team hunting mine like animals?"

"To be arrested, like the criminals that you are."

Spencer was prepared. When the first two shadows moved he spun swiftly and kicked with all his might. A moan, soon followed by a thud, told that he'd hit his mark. Not pausing to gloat in his success he spun again, facing the second attacker. This one managed to sink a nasty right hook to his left cheek but he repaid it with a stone hard elbow to the other's face, followed by a combination of a knee to the stomach and a vicious kick. The man dropped like a stone.

"How did you even manage to keep track of me?" he snapped. Noticing a leg swaying his way he performed a back-flip. It ended with him crash-landing on top of the newest agent trying to tackle him. His leg fell heavily on top of the other's chest, effectively taking the man down. "I removed the micro chip."

"Yes, the one you knew of." The observer sighed. "Would you please stop that? You're embarrassing them and making it hard for me to concentrate."  
Spencer responded with knocking down a one more agent. It sounded like he managed to break a nose or something nearby. He glared into the shadows, knowing exactly where his talking partner was hiding. "I'm not the one who started this."

"Agents, stand down." With an amount of reluctance that even Spencer felt the remaining shadows did retreat. "There. Better?"

Spencer didn't bother commenting. He took a deep breath, still monitoring his environment carefully. "I could tell you everything", he pointed out. His voice sounded oddly dejected. Almost defeated. "But you'd never believe me."

"I wouldn't", the other agreed. "I'm too old to believe in fairytales." There was a breath of wind and then the voice came from directly behind him. "This agency made a mistake in trusting the likes of you. I'm about to fix that."

There was a brief, stab like twinge of pain, then only darkness.

Seconds later, as Spencer was dragged away, a finger rose to an ear-comm. "Cargo secured. Did you find the Package?"

" _Negative, still looking._ "

The man growled with annoyance. "Copy that. Was he alone?"

" _Seemed so._ "

"Good." The group was already withdrawing, a very much unconscious Spencer with them. "We're taking him to the Farm. Finish up there and find the goddamned Package because I don't want the Doctor to pull the location from him."

" _Copy that._ " With those word it was silent once more. The only person left to the streets was Derek, still out cold and securely out of sight.

* * *

TBC

* * *

A/N: So… What THE HECK is going on?! Reid, a fugitive? Who, exactly, are the bad guys of this story? And what's going to happen to Reid now? Well, at least he got to kick some arse before he was taken… (sighs)

Soooooo, what's the verdict, folks? Any good at all? Straight to the bin? The word's all yours, now.

Until next time, ya all! I REALLY hope that you'll join in for that one.

Take care!

* * *

emma: I'm insanely happy to hear that! We'll see what the ride up ahead offers. I really hope that you'll be as excited about the chapters to come. (smiles)

Massive thank yous for the review!

* * *

Violet Eternity: That's so, so good to hear! I really hope that what's to come meets your expectations.

Monumental thank yous for the review!

* * *

justsaying: I'm afraid that limiting those to one per author's note is the best I can do. But then again, as you typed those aren't official parts of the story so feel free to skip them entirely. If they ever include important information (questions to readers, update information, etc) that'll be typed in bold so it stands out. Otherwise they indeed add nothing to the story.

I'm thrilled to hear that you've enjoyed the actual story thus far so much! We'll see just where it leads. I hope that the chapters to come meet your expectations!

Huge thank yous for the review!


	4. Silly Little Games

A/N: A day longer than I would've wanted BUT at least this is a fairly timely update. So… Yay?

Before getting to the actual story, first things first. THANK YOU, for each and every review, listing and little bit of affection for this story! I can't believe how many have joined this mad ride. (HUGS) Thank you!

Awkay, because stalling ain't classy… Let's go! I truly hope that you'll enjoy the ride.

* * *

Silly Little Games

* * *

/ _It was rather understandable that Spencer was tense before his first CIA-mission. He didn't know if the fairly little training he'd received was enough. He didn't know his team. They were quite far from trusting each other. How in the world were they going to pull this off?_

 _Before the real thing, however, it was time for a one more training session._

 _On his way to training room five Spencer noticed something that caught his attention. Leo came out of Scarlet's room appearing oddly flushed. Spencer may have imagined it but the larger man's shirt seemed curiously wrinkled. Was the man… limping?_

 _Then he'd already reached to correct room. To his surprise Dante was waiting for him instead of Luther. The smaller man sat on the floor with a grin on his face. "Sorry to disappoint but Big Man was busy." Something was pushed towards him. "Do you play?"_

 _It was a chess board. Spencer stared at it incredulously for a few seconds. "What kind of a training session is this?" he inquired while sitting down, more curious than anything else._

 _"You'll see." The smaller man went on once they'd reached a silent agreement on which side either of them was going to play. "So, do you think you can focus? Or are you worked up by trying to figure out if Merlin is sticking his little python into our resident snake?"_

 _For a little while Spencer didn't know what to say. He wasn't sure which feeling was stronger, disgust, curiosity or something far darker. Somehow they'd already advanced several moves. "Wouldn't that be against the rules?"_

 _Dante laughed, loudly. "Look at our team! Do you really think that anyone gives a shit about rules?" Seeing his expression the smaller man sighed, obviously displeased. "We've all got hormones and… urges. But right now I'm trying to figure out whether this is something that'll get us all killed."_

 _Spencer swallowed. All of a sudden it was harder to concentrate on his next move than it should've been. "There's no problem. This team… It's going to work." It was a matter of life and death._

 _Dante arched an eyebrow. "Good. In that case I can relax and we'll all be one big, happy family." The man's voice dripped with sarcasm. Spencer could see why._

 _While Spencer had been preoccupied Dante managed to checkmate him._ /

* * *

Aaron was a very experienced FBI-agent. Before that he was a lawyer. A man like that was expected to know when he was lied to.

"How much did Spencer tell you about Rubik's Cube?"

Aaron frowned. His brain ticked on furiously. "He told me about the criminal records. Not the exact content, though." His voice was clipped, full of deep mistrust that he didn't even try to hide. What reason did he have to trust this total stranger, anyway? "He explained that the less I know the safer I'll be."

Luther nodded. "True." The CIA-handler's eyes were hard and sharp. "This small group was put together in nearly perfect silence for a very specific, delicate purpose. The task was given to people who could be trusted to keep their silence because they had too much to lose if they didn't. And whom no one would believe if they tried to talk to the wrong people."

Aaron's stomach knotted. Somehow he already had a feeling that he wouldn't like where this was going. He nodded tensely, hoping that it was enough of an indication for the other to continue.

"My agents are the Rubik Five. CIA's very own carbage disposal unit. Taking care of all those annoying problems that none of the others wanted to risk touching. Well, that's the official version, anyway."

Aaron stayed silent while Luther took a sharper than necessary turn to right and noticed that the red Kia behind them attempted desperately to follow, only to get jammed to a red light. For some reason the realization of what just happened made Aaron's heart thud one time too many. "What's the unofficial version?" he inquired tersely.

Luther had obviously noticed the same thing he did. One of the man's hands reached out to the covers of his long, black coat. "It was a horribly kept secret that there were, or actually still are, several moles inside the most high and mighty layers of CIA. Evidence ended up missing. People who had no business walking free faced no charges over horrible crimes. Money appeared and disappeared mysteriously. Something needed to be done. Discreetly."

Aaron felt sick to his stomach. Yes, Spencer told him that he and his former team had some… history that wouldn't appreciate the light of day. But this… "So you roped a group of desperate kids for the job?"

Luther looked at him darkly. They both kept a firm eye on a suspicious white Volvo that tailed them for a mighty while until taking a turn to the opposite direction. "They're all special. We gave them a route out of having to do jail time. I tried to give them a purpose."

Aaron still couldn't say that he approved. But this was hardly the time for complicated moral debates. His eyebrows furrowed. "Why now? After all these years… Why are they coming after you now?"

The white Volvo appeared again. Focusing fully on it Luther opened the car's window, pulled out a gun Aaron had suspected was hiding in the man's clothes and fired two perfectly aimed shots. The suspicious vehicle's front tires emptied instantly. Still the CIA-agent waited for almost a full minute to be sure before focusing on him. If possible the man's eyes were even more solemn than before. "Because the list we gathered had some big names. One of them found out." The agent's Adam's apple bobbed. "There were four of us making the decision on forming my team. I'm the only one left alive."

* * *

"Explain, right now."

And Leo did. As much as he could, anyway. JJ and David both had hard time believing the impossible tale.

"Scarlet used to be a brilliant hacker. There wasn't a site she wouldn't have been able to get a hang of. Then she made the mistake of promising to do her friend a favor. She couldn't possibly know that the said friend only avoided jail by promising to help catch her." Leo took a deep breath, his fingers drumming restlessly. "It didn't help that she had illegal substances in her possession." Despite the question hanging heavily in the air he refused to elaborate.

"What about Dante?"

They could clearly see a hint of mirth in Leo's eyes. "What do you think? Of course it was his temper." The amusement, however, died quickly. The large man's eyes darkened. "I'm not going to tell you more because it isn't my place. But those bastards deserved the pummeling. The cop that came to clean up the mess didn't." Leo took a deep breath and pursed his lips, appearing deep in thought. "As for me… I've known how to make explosives and… various chemical compounds since I was a kid. That gift earned me a lot of money. Too bad I ended up selling to the wrong people."

The two FBI-agents very much preferred not even trying to guess what, exactly, that might mean. Instead they focused on the fact that there was only one teammember they knew of left. "And Reid?" David inquired tersely.

Leo actually hesitated, there. Obviously unsure of how much he was at liberty to reveal. "He tried to help his mom. You may know that he's banned from several casinos. There's a good reason for it." The man had a brief yet intense inner debate before continuing. "Scarlet and Spencer… Our whole team… They've made mistakes. We all have. But it doesn't justify us being hunted like animals. You guys agree, right?"

"Of course", they both admitted instantly.

"Good, I thought so." Leo took a deep breath and they could only imagine the emotions the man was struggling to hold back. "Now, you've got one member of your family involved in this mess. My entire family's on the line. So are you going to help us or not?"

JJ and David never got the chance to answer. Because just then they noticed a red Kia tailing them. At first it kept a subtle distance but the more they picked up speed the more desperate their pursuers became. Rookies.

Leo was already about to raise his gun. Someone beat him to it. So fast that they all blinked with surprise a large, black motorcycle appeared from such a corner that it blinded the Kia's driver. A couple of flashes followed and it took them a moment to realize that they were gunshots. The car tailing them swerved twice before stopping.

As soon as they'd found a relatively safe spot they stopped to see what, exactly, was going on. They all prepared for a confrontation when four infuriatingly young men rose from the car, approaching the cyclist. The fight that ensued was fast and effective. Assuming that they actually distinguished every move it took five puches, seven kicks and two backflips before the poor unfortunate souls were down. The only one left standing was the man in a motorcycle helmet. The item was taken off in one fluid motion, revealing Dante's smirking face.

Leo rolled his eyes when the smaller man made his way to them. "For the love of… You just can't help yourself with those dramatics, can you?"

Dante's grin widened. The man winked daringly at JJ. "It's all a part of the appeal." The CIA agent's expression sombred quickly. "So, good news? Scarlet's tracking chip finally activated."

"And the bad news?" David inquired although he wasn't entirely sure if he wanted to know.

"She's been taken to the Farm." Dante's eyes were far darker than usual. "It's where the interrogations that can't stand the light of day take place."

* * *

Spencer woke up slowly to a headache that made him want to go right back down. He took his time, tried to assess his surroundings. Bleach. Blood. Metal. Sweat. The mixture made his skin crawl with realization.

"Spence?" Oh yes, he recognized that voice despite all the years passed. "Come on, wake up for me. Wake up before he comes back."

Valiantly defying the fog trying to pull him right back into dark Spencer managed to open his eyes, at least halfway. If the circumstances had been different he would've smiled. "Hey", he rasped.

Scarlet smiled although it looked wrong with the bruises on her face. She was pale and clearly battered but her eyes were sharp. No concussion, then. Good. "You can't even imagine how pissed off I am at you right now. And at those two idiots for deciding to get you involved. But I'm glad to see you."

"Well I don't mind. Besides, I was probably _involved_ already, anyway." A grin ghosted on Spencer's lips until the full gravity of the situation crashed down on him. He frowned, observing his former teammate from head to toe. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah", Scarlet sighed. Her whole body stiffened when something clonked in the hallway outside the room. It took twenty tense seconds until she was convinced that the threat wasn't acute. "But I have a feeling that the son of a bitch is getting bored with my silent treatment."

Spencer frowned. He was pleased to discover that at least his head seemed to be working properly once more. "Do you know who he is?"

"Yeah." Scarlet's eyes prepared him for something very unpleasant. "It's The Doctor."

Spencer felt ice filling his veins. He tensed up and lost his breath for two seconds. A rather creative list of vulgar vocabulary, mostly in Korean for some reason, flooded through his head. "They still use him?"

Scarlet shrugged. She didn't seem any more pleased than he felt. "The guy's a lunatic but he gets the job done without asking too many questions. All he wants is to not feel bored."

Spencer gritted his teeth, looking around. There was no escape route he could spot since the room only had one door and there were no windows. He wiggled his wrists to discover that the cuffs trapping them were far too tight to slip through. "We've gotta get out of here."

Scarlet smiled wryly. "Yeah, I sort of gathered that much. I'll let you know as soon as I figure out something."

It felt disturbingly familiar, all of it. And comfortable despite the far from ideal circumstances. All of a sudden it felt like the years passed never happened. "Scarlet…" Spencer wasn't sure about what he was planning on saying until it spilled through his lips. "About what I said, at Maeve's funeral…"

Scarlet interrupted him with a firm shake of head. While the rest of her face couldn't be read her eyes were soft and sincere. "I know."

He could tell that she was hiding something. He just couldn't put a finger to it. And before he had the chance to wonder any further the room's door opened.

Spencer wasn't sure what he'd expected the legendary Doctor to look like. Whatever he'd envisioned it didn't come even close to the real thing. The man who entered gave him a deceitfully pleasant smile. "Well, there you are! You were actually quicker to join us than I expected. Drugs wear off you quickly, then. Must be due to your… history. I'm going to make notes about that, for future reference."

Despite having been sober for years upon years the stab of shame that crossed Spencer was still sharp enough to make his stomach knot. He didn't look towards Scarlet. Knowing her whole story he knew that she wouldn't judge but…

"You two are absolutely no fun." The Doctor's eyebrow twitched with irritation until he took a step forward. "Which means that I'll have to create my own entertainment." Both captives tensed up when the famous interrogator revealed a blindfold. He smirked at their alarm. "Oh yes, this is going to be so much fun." With that he covered Scarlet's eyes with the fabric.

* * *

When Aaron, Luther and afterwards Alex finally made it to Spencer's old apartment building they encountered a very bizarre sight. Derek stood leaning against the wall with a very grumpy expression on his face, pressing a tender hand against the unnatural swell on his temple. He seemed ready to both collapse and tear off someone's head. They had no idea which one might happen first.

"Are you okay?" Alex inquired, inspecting the damage with a frown of worry.

"Physically? Yeah. It's just a little bump." Derek's eyes flashed with intense irritation. "But I'm going to make Reid pay for this."

Even Aaron's eyes held stun. No matter if it only lasted for a second or two. "Did he really do that to you?"

"Our Reid?" Alex echoed with slightly more visible shock.

Their reactions certainly didn't seem to improve Derek's mood. "We noticed that there was someone in his apartment. He told me that he didn't want me to have anything to do with it and then…" The agent gestured towards his injury. That was when realization finally seemed to dawn. Alarm appeared to far less hazy eyes. "Where is he, anyway?"

"Whatever happened after he knocked you out it wasn't good news." Luther seemed unnaturally tense and on high alert. "We'd better go and see his apartment, right now."

Considering everything they'd learned recently it wasn't a surprise that they didn't find Spencer's name from the correct flat's door. Instead they saw one that brought a tiny, sad smile to the FBI-agents' faces. Joseph Bell. Soon enough obvious signs of someone breaking in caught their attention.

Aaron and Derek were about to enter when Luther stopped them. "Doctorates in chemistry and engineering, remember? This is a place he wanted to keep to himself. I'd advice to move forward carefully."

The two weren't comfortable with working alongside a total stranger. But they knew a valuable tip when they heard one. And therefore they entered with utmost caution. They dodged the two trap wires easily. When they made it to the living room, which looked like a hurricane had swept through, they froze.

The first thing they noticed were the four people lay on the floor. Heavily unconscious. Then they paid attention to the room's air, which was making their eyes sting.

"Knockout gas", Luther informed them. The handler winced and wiped his eyes. "Poor suckers must've triggered something. They didn't know what hit them."

"Yeah", Derek agreed. Somehow it seemed that the remains of the gas had effectively sobered the man. "But what were they looking for?"

"The Philosopher's Stone."

* * *

Scarlet's heart was thumping and it took all she had not to let the panic show. The Doctor wasn't going to get that satisfaction, not if it was up to her. When she felt the metal chaining her ankles tighten only common sense kept her from spitting at the humming man working on her.

What was that melody, anyway?

"You still have nothing to say, then?" The Doctor gave her a long moment. Admirable, really, considering his usual level of patience. "Very well. I'm more than willing to use other methods of persuasion."

Metal screeched against metal, making her bite back a wince. There was nothing she could do about the shudder that traveled through all of her. Steps circled around, making it impossible to tell where, exactly, their captor was going. There was a chillingly familiar, hissing sound. Followed by the unmistakable stench of burning flesh.

And then Spencer screamed, the sound torn from deep within his very soul.

Scarlet was a very experienced field agent. But even she had her limits and now they'd been met. "What the hell are you doing to him?" she snarled at the top of her lungs. Hard as she fought against her restraints it wasn't enough. Blood seeped painfully from where her skin was damaged.

"I'm okay…", Spencer wheezed. Through his teeth, she could tell. "I'm okay. I'm okay."

A million opposing comments flooded through Scarlet's head, 'sure you are' being the kindest of them. But as it was she focused on keeping her mouth shut, no matter how much she wanted to scream. They both knew that years and years of work were at stake. Her hands were shaking miserably but the rest of her remained as still as stone.

Steps moved again. This time they took their time, taunting. There was another hiss, a louder and longer one. The howl of agony Spencer couldn't fight against tore at Scarlet's heart. Holding back the tears was one of the hardest battles in her life.

"I'm still waiting for your response, agent." The Doctor was beginning to sound very, very impatient. Which never promised anything good. "And the longer I have to wait the more he's going to suffer. Give me what I want and I'll let him rest. I may even tell those agents watching to call medical help. All you need to tell me… is where the Philosopher's Stone is." There was a small pause, during which the torturer shifted suspiciously. What was he doing? "I have one part of it, all encrypted. Tell me where the rest of it is."

Under different circumstances Scarlet might've appreciated the bitter irony. She wouldn't have been able to give the monster and his hirers what they were after even if she wanted to. "I don't know", she admitted honestly. "You have my piece of it but the whole thing was divided on four flash drives for security purposes. You need the data on all of them before any of the contents makes sense."

"So you're telling me that you're of no use to me?"

Scarlet gritted her teeth. Dread swell in her stomach. "Yes."

"What about this one?" Whatever The Doctor did it made Spencer groan. "Does he know the current location of any of the flash drives?"

Scarlet's blood froze. This was all going downhill very, very quickly. Fortunately Spencer saved her from having to answer. "Not anymore." The younger man's voice was stunningly firm, all things considered. "I've made sure that my piece is in safe hands."

"So you're of no use to me, too?"

"Yes."

"Alright. Thank you for your honesty." Something The Doctor did made Spencer emit a ragged gasp. "See, this is why communication is important. This is how I know when to stop wasting my time." She felt the torturer's eyes on her and instinctively wanted to move away from the gaze. "You… You're useful in luring the other pieces to me. At least for the time being. But this one…" The man clicked his tongue. "Completely useless waste of space and my time."

The gunshot was deafening.

And then there was silence. Far too much silence. Scarlet feared that her racing heart might actually give out. "Spencer?" No response. Not a breath, not a word, not even a twitch. "SPENCER!"

"Don't worry, little girl, your turn comes next."

* * *

TBC

* * *

A/N: Dear gosh…! Well, THAT'S a cliffie, I guess… I wonder just what's ahead of the entire group next.

Soooooooo… Thoughts? Comments? Was that a hit or miss? PLEASE, do let me know! Your reviews are PRECIOUS.

Awkay, I should've been in bed a while ago so I've gotta get going. (winces) Until next time, folks! I really hope that you'll all stop by then!

Take care!

* * *

Violet Eternity: It feels SUPER good to hear that. (BEAMS) I really hope that what's to come won't disappoint.

Massive thank yous for the review!


	5. Family Matters

A/N: I'm sorry that this took a few days onger than I planned! Another, soon ending typing project took control of my schedules. (winces) But now the new chapter is finally here! Hooray?

THANK YOU, for each and every review, listing and bit of support! It feels so good to know that I'm not the only one having a good time with this.

Alright, then. Because I've already kept you waiting for WAY too long… Let's go! I really hope that you'll find this worth the wait.

* * *

Family Matters

* * *

/ _All things considered, the team's first field attempt went far better than anyone would've dared to hope. They were given two clear instructions. Bring home the target, who happened to be a captured undercover agent. And no killing. It was far too much paperwork._

 _While Scarlet focused on taking down the massive mansion's security system Leo took care of the first two floors with knockout gas. Along with his eager fists, of course, in case someone happened to remain conscious. Spencer and Dante sneaked through the rest of the building._

 _After what couldn't be more than ten minutes but felt like hours Spencer finally spotted their target in a tiny room that had only one lamp to provide light. She was sitting on a chair, her head hanging low and hands tied. "Target spotted", he whispered to his ear comm. "Status unconfirmed. Moving closer." He was about to do just that until a strange, snapping sound froze him entirely._

 _Spencer turned his head quickly to see a large, hooded man going down in the shadows behind him, a dart clearly visible on his neck. A gun clattered to the floor. A flash later Gabriel's voice spoke to his ear. "_ Get moving. I doubt that the tranquilizer dart will keep that one down for long. _"_

 _Spencer couldn't help but smile a bit. That, despite the fact that his heart was hammering madly. "Thanks, Houdini."_

 _"_ Anytime. Just… Be careful. You guys are keeping me pretty busy. _"_

 _That was when Dante also appeared to the scene. The young man gave the unconscious attacker a single glance, then looked at Spencer with clearly visible disapproval. "Let's just get this over with, yeah? Then I call yell at you."_

 _There was no one in the room aside the captive. But for some reason all of Spencer's instincts screamed out a warning. He frowned. "Apollo, wait…"_

 _Of course Dante wasn't listening. The man stepped right in, only to have his eyes widen. "Shit…" Looking down they both saw a trap wire. In a flash there was a loud bang and almost as quickly a splotch appeared to Dante's shirt, right above his heart. A pink splotch._

 _They both stared. Justifiably dumbfounded. "What the hell…?"_

 _And then all the lights went on, blinding them for a moment. Just as their vision began to return Luther stepped to view, a smirk on his face. "Don't look so heartbroken, you two. Only one casualty. Your first field test could've gone a lot worse." The man made his way to their target, took a needle and poked. In a flash what turned out to be a doll began to empty before their baffled, infuriated eyes. "Chinese, anyone? Then I can tell you exactly why you're not ready for field yet."_ /

* * *

"The Philosopher's Stone?"

Luther gritted his teeth, focusing on the unconscious men on the floor. "Yeah. It's something that could bring down the entire CIA."

Derek swallowed hard. Cold chills traveled down his skin. "You've gotta be kidding me…"

Luther gave him a dry look. "Really, Derek? After everything you've seen by now, does that honestly surprise you?"

"We'd better get to work", Aaron interrupted their loaded exchange. The unit chief's eyes were full of determination. "Something tells me that we don't want to be here when those men finally wake up."

While the others began to scatter Derek was about to move as well. That was until he saw a very, very familiar book from Thomas Merton. It wasn't the same, treasured piece he'd seen in Spencer's book shelve. This one was far more worn, obviously well read. Or just well used.

"Guys!" he called out as loudly as he dared to. He was already moving towards the book. "I'm pretty sure that I just found something."

He barely noticed how the others gathered around him while he grabbed it, instantly noticing that it was far too light. With his heart pounding close to his throat he opened to cover. Only to run into a code lock.

"Damnit…!" he growled, frustration taking over.

"What do you think it is?" Alex inquired. "His birthday? Or his mother's?"

"This is Reid we're talking about", Aaron pointed out. "It's going to be something much more complicated."

At that point Luther stepped forward. "May I…?" Without really waiting for a permission the man was already rolling numbers.

"Why that particular date?" Alex asked with honest curiosity.

Luther gritted his teeth. For a moment something dark, almost like sadness, filled his eyes. "It's when we lost Houdini." And then, startling them all with the surprisingly loud sound, the lock snapped open. Revealing a flash drive.

Derek couldn't help but grin. They'd just taken at least ten steps closer to answers. "Heureka."

The entire group tensed up when Luther's cell phone began to ring. The man stunned them all with putting it on a speaker. "Yes?"

" _I have Leo, JJ and David with me. Gather together the rest of the group and get over here._ " Dante sounded unnervingly serious. " _They've taken Spencer and Scarlet to the Farm. We're going in._ " He hung up before Luther could voice any objections.

* * *

Scarlet's blindfold was removed swiftly and forcibly, exposing her eyes to an attack of light that they were far from ready for. She groaned and squinted, her heart still hammering madly. Her sight was of no use for the time being but her ears worked just fine, sharpened by adrenaline.

In the hallway right outside the room steps were walking away. Four or five sets of them. The CIA agents who'd been observing the interrogation were leaving, then, convinced that there was nothing left for them to see. Which could only lead to one outcome.

Things would get very, very unpleasant.

Working the best as she could to control her breathing, to keep the panic at bay, Scarlet turned her head towards where Spencer's chair had been. She prepared herself for the worst. What she found was nothing that she would've known to expect.

Spencer was very much alive. He'd been gagged and there was a brutal burn mark decorating his chest. She had a sickening feeling that the second one was somewhere she couldn't see it. His shirtless upper body was also badly bruised. But he was alive. She focused on that. There was a bullet hole on the wall beside him.

The Doctor snorted. "What? Did you really think that I'd get rid of him that quickly? Where's the fun in that?" The torturer was inspecting metallic items placed to a table behind her. "His ears may be ringing a bit. But I've understood that he can read lips so that shouldn't be a problem."

Scarlet barely heard. The relief that flooded through her was overwhelming and it took all the self control she had not to emit a loud, choked breath. Spencer seemed to sense her emotional turmoil because he smiled the best as he could from the gag and pain.

The relief was overpowering, certainly. But they both knew that it wouldn't last long. Because Spencer wasn't sitting down anymore. He'd been chained to the room's ceiling so that his arms had been pulled above his head and his toes barely touched the floor.

"Now, my employers seem convinced that the two of you actually know nothing of any value. Fortunately I know better. I told them as much." The Doctor approached Spencer, hands behind his back. "They knew that this would be something that they wouldn't want to witness." The psychopath shrugged. "Apparently having the dirty work done is perfectly acceptable as long as they're not there to see it. Go figure." The man smiled. "And whether you two know anything or not… At least I'm going to have my fun." Long violinist's fingers stroked Spencer's cheek, making the younger man stiffen. "This is why I ask for less money than most of my… colleagues. This is a part of my reward."

The kick was so swift that neither captive saw it coming. The Doctor's hands didn't move from behind the man's back while one his legs rose and kicked fiercely. The sound of the impact to Spencer's side was sickening. At least one rib was broken. Spencer emitted a small, muffled mew and squeezed his tightly shut, struggling the best as he could against the agony. Scarlet would've desperately wanted to scream as well.

The Doctor looked towards her. Pleasure flashed in his eyes when he saw the way she was shaking to her core from fury and guilt. "All power is in your hands, really. Tell me what I want to know and this stops."

Scarlet scoffed. "No. You enjoy this too much to stop."

The Doctor shrugged. "Probably. But at least I'd go and find new playmates." The man's eyes shifted towards her but he didn't make the mistake of looking away from Spencer for too long. "Is that your final answer?"

Scarlet lifted her chin despite that searing sensation that filled her eyes. _I'm sorry, Spencer… I'm so sorry…!_ "I can't give you what you want."

The Doctor pursed his lips. "Pity. For him."

The second kick wasn't as unexpected as the first but it was far more brutal in force. The sound it produced made Scarlet want to throw up. It was nothing compared to the blocked scream that escaped Spencer. The chained man's whole body jolted and if the haze in his eyes was anything to go by he came dangerously close to losing consciousness. Scarlet's stomach knotted and she bit her lower lip so hard that it bled.

 _Stay awake, stay with me…_ A brutal request, really. But she knew that things would only get worse if Spencer passed out.

The Doctor seemed to notice that his playmate was fading. With a growl of irritation the man struck Spencer's cheek. The sadist was wearing a visibly heavy knuckle duster. "Eyes open! We're not finished yet." The torturer mused for a while, staring into Spencer's slightly more alert, furious and pained eyes. "Maybe I can give you a little break." The older man smirked. "It's your turn to enjoy watching."

Without giving even a hint of warning The Doctor grabbed Spencer's gag and pulled hard. Scarlet was confused by her friend's muffled cry of agony and the trickles of blood until she looked at the item. She gulped. There were spikes all over the metallic ball that'd been in Spencer's mouth. They were covered in red.

Scarlet's eyes narrowed. The fury that traveled through her veins nearly took her breath away. "You fucking bastard…!"

The Doctor clicked his tongue. "For a girl you have a stunningly filthy mouth." He grabbed a metal chain that'd been hanging from the ceiling. "Now let's get started with you."

She hadn't remembered the shackles around her wrists until her arms were pulled violently above her head and her whole body was hauled from the chair.

* * *

The two of them couldn't possibly know that in the meantime four more or less reluctant allies were already making their way through the Farm's dusty, shadowy hallways. Leo, who'd taken the front, informed them on each security camera with a sharp hand gesture. Their progress was steady but infuriatingly slow, considering the lives hanging in a balance.

All of a sudden the distant yet insistent dial tone of a cell phone reached their ears. It seemed to come from a room only ten steps in front of them. It could've been a trap, of course. But it might also be the only trace they'd get in that maze of a building. Because at that moment JJ finally recognized what she was hearing.

Her eyes widened. She looked towards David. "Isn't that…?"

He nodded, appearing every bit as gloomy as she felt. "Reid's dial tone? Yeah."

That was all the sign JJ needed. In a flash she was moving. "Wait!" Leo hissed.

JJ tried to be as careful as possible, of course. Tensely making sure that there were no cameras or prying eyes she sneaked into the room. Only to stop immediately.

It was a massive storage room. Full of cardboard boxes, files and lockers. Her eyes locked on one particular box placed to a nearby shelve. ' _Prophet_ ' had been written on it in big, red letters. That was when the ringing started again. The others entered the room just as she reached the box.

Without wasting another second JJ searched until she finally found the phone. She blinked twice at the mysterious caller ID. "'Robin'?"

The two CIA agents tensed up instantly. JJ caught the loudly speaking look they exchanged. "You really shouldn't…"

She wasn't in the mood for listening. Not when Spencer's life could be in danger. Without wasting another thought on ethics she picked up. Nothing in the world could've prepared her for what she heard.

" _Daddy?_ " The little girl's voice was full of worry. " _I know, I'm not supposed to call. But you missed the bedtime story. Where are you?_ "

JJ had no idea which one of the feelings coursing through her body was the strongest. With a gasp she brought a hand to her lips, her eyes widening. What did she just…?

"JJ?" David was whispering but his voice was full of intensity. "What's wrong?"

" _Daddy?_ "

On the other side of the phone call someone spoke a few clipped words in a language that sounded a lot like Russian. Was it a woman? Yes, definitely. And then, just as quickly as it began, the mysterious phone call was over.

David gave JJ a questioning look but all her attention was on the CIA agents. Her eyes narrowed. "Who did I just hear?"

She never had the time to get answers. Because just then Dante's eyes widened. One of the man's hands twitched towards where a consealed weapon was probably hiding. "Shit…!"

He didn't get further than that. None of them did. The very next second there was a very commanding, extremely loudly speaking red dot on each their chest.

* * *

Spencer's whole body was consumed by flames of agony. Even breathing was a challenge he barely managed. But all discomfort flew to the wind when he watched Scarlet being hauled upwards. Ice filled his stomach and he swallowed hard, gulping down blood.

"She's said her piece. But what about you?" The Doctor's voice could've easily been mistaken for being pleasant. It was almost like that of a businessman trying to seal a deal. "Do you still stick to your claim that you can't give me anything?"

Spencer's chest constricted. He focused firmly on not looking at Scarlet. If he met her eyes right now… "Let her go… and I'll tell you everything you want to know."

The Doctor looked at him for a few moments, clearly considering. Then pursed his lips. "You know what? I don't think you will." The torturer's eyes flashed threateningly. "I don't like being lied to, Spencer."

At a lightning's speed The Doctor revealed a taser. Spencer only had the time to open his mouth before the item was pressed against the back of Scarlet's neck. Her eyes widened a microsecond before they filled with indescribable pain. She gritted her teeth but couldn't quite keep herself from emitting a whimper of pain. Eventually she fell forward as much as she could, gasping loudly. He wished that he could've seen her face, just to make sure that she'd be alright, but with her head hung hair fell to disguise everything.

"Do you want to lie to me again, Spencer?"

Spencer wanted to snarl something very unpleasant. But he didn't want Scarlet to face the consequences. So he gritted his teeth and shook his head tersely, seething inside.

The Doctor smiled. "Good boy. Now, have you reconsidered your answer?"

Spencer shook his head. He could actually feel how his blood pressure was rising. His eyes didn't feel right although his steel hard expression held remarkably well. "No." He winced when there was a razor sharp twinge of pain. He absolutely refused to look at his former teammate, fearing what it'd do to his resolve. "We… We've fought for so long… Lost one of our own…" He nearly lost his own life as well but there was no reason this bastard had to know. Even if chances were that the man already did. "I can't let you destroy it."

The Doctor shrugged. "Alright, then. In that case there's no point in prolonging this."

Spencer couldn't restain a gasp, no matter how much it hurt, when the man took a brand new metallic chain, wrapped it around Scarlet's neck and pulled. She groaned, instinctively starting to kick and trash against the chokehold. The Doctor was, however, stronger and had the upper hand. Entirely too quickly her eyes began to turn hazy.

"What if I told you that one clue is right here with me?" A dangerous decision, possibly a huge mistake. But what was Spencer supposed to do?

The Doctor sighed but miraculously let Scarlet go. The man seemed deaf to her loud, hacking coughs. "I checked your clothes when you were brought in. Don't insult me."

"Who said anything about clothes?"

That was when The Doctor noticed the tattoo on his chest. The man frowned, observing the series of numbers. Then began to approach. Spencer struggled with his all to maintain his poker face.

 _Closer… Closer… Closer… Good, that's good…_

Spencer's hands tightened around the chains, so hard that it was a miracle no skin was damaged. His eyes were burning when they locked with The Doctor's. "You… are going to pay dearly for everything that you did today", he hissed, meaning every single word. "Starting right now."

The Doctor had no hope of seeing it coming. While his hands tightened their hold still Spencer breathed in deep, just once. Then used up every single bit of strength that he had and hoisted his lower body up.

The Doctor's eyes widened when Spencer's left knee connected with the man crotch. As the torturer began to go down the agent wasted no time. Spencer's right leg connected fiercely with The Doctor's forehead and immediately afterwards the left one rose again to send the man on a violent flight right at the room's wall.

While the unconscious fiend went down both captives breathed hard, adrenaline and ache spinning violently around their systems. When Spencer eventually spoke he still didn't dare to look away from their tormentor. A part of him expected the man to get up at any second and… "Please tell me that… you got the key."

"I did." Scarlet hissed through firmly gritted teeth. "The bastard… broke my wrist, while pulling me up… Lucky strike…"

Spencer finally looked up when a jingle of metal announced that her chains had been opened. The relief that'd been filling him vaporized effectively when he saw her stumble. Because that was when he noticed the dark stain spreading rapidly on her pants and the tears that she fought against so hard that her breaths came out in wheezing gasps. All of a sudden he knew entirely too well what she'd been desperately trying to hide.

There were three of them in this mess.

Spencer swallowed hard. What was he supposed to say in this situation? "Lettie…"

Scarlet shook her head fiercely. The thread her self control hung on was thin but she held on to it with tooth and nail. "Focus. This isn't over yet." Her motions weren't entirely steady when she made her way to him and began to work on his chains, careful to keep her face out of his sight. "We need to get the hell out of here. Now."

The rhythmic steps approaching the room confirmed her assumption.

* * *

TBC

* * *

A/N: That… could be called intense. Those poor things! (winces) But it seems that we also learned some new things…

Sooooo… Any good, at all? PLEASE, do let me know! The vote's all yours.

I've reaaaally gotta dash, now. Until next time, folks! I really hope that you'll all stay tuned for that one.

Take care!

* * *

Guest80: I know, I know. Horribly cruel! (groans at oneself) We'll see what the next one brings along…

Massive thank yous for the review!


	6. The Nature of a Monster

A/N: Phew! It's been an INSANELY busy week, which is why you guys were forced to wait for this update waaaaaay longer than I would've wanted. I'm so, so sorry! BUT, I'm finally back on track now. Yosh?

THANK YOU, so much, for your fantatic reviews, all those listings and support! You sure seem to know how to keep an author motivated. (HUGS)

Awkay, because the clock isn't my friend tonight… Let's get going! I REALLY hope that you'll find this worth the extra-long wait.

* * *

The Nature of a Monster

* * *

/ _The team's first actual mission was very different from the fake one. Being trained for killing people isn't even nearly the same as actually seeing people die. And being the one to pull the trigger… It changes a person._

 _It was one of Diana Reid's lucid days when Spencer stopped by for a visit, a long sleeved shirt and a scarf hiding the bruises he'd obtained. Yet clearly there was damage that he couldn't disguise. Because the second she saw him a utterly heartbroken look appeared into her eyes. Before he could as much as breathe out a question she'd pulled him into a tight, nearly desperate hug. Was that a sob, shuddering her whole body?_

 _"Mom?" He was worried, sad, scared and confused all at once. "What's wrong?"_

 _"When you're a father… You'll know." She tightened her hold. It was like she never wanted to let go of him again. "A proper parent knows."_ /

* * *

After the disturbing phone call Aaron, Alex, Derek and Luther all remained quiet for a few moments, trying to absorb the situation and come up with a proper course of action. In the end Derek spoke out. "That Farm… Do you know where it is?"

"Yeah", Luther confirmed. His eyes flashed while he checked his clothing for weapons. There were at least four of them and without a doubt a couple that they had no idea of. "We really need to get going. Right now."

"So basically Reid and Scarlet are screwed?" Derek analysed grimly, his jawline tightening considerably.

Luther nodded firmly. "Oh yes. Especially if those two hotheads have already made it there as well." The handler sighed like a father who was tired of his acting up children. "And we're going to need two cars. I'm willing to bet a lot of money that we'll have to make a hasty retreat."

"A retreat where?" Derek was the one to voice a very acute problem. "We can't go home if we snatch CIA's prisoners. So where are we going to take them?" In his mind a failure wasn't an option.

"To Avalon." Luther was already firing off texts with his cell phone. "I'll just have to contact some people who aren't going to be happy…"

They left the apartment without looking back, abandoning the unconscious CIA-agents to their own devices.

* * *

Spencer and Scarlet were exhausted, injured and certainly not in the condition to do any sort of fighting. Still they braced themselves, preparing for anything, while the hurried steps approached the room. Their hearts hammering, adrenaline numbing pain that might've been unbearable otherwise.

The steps never entered.

They looked at each other with sombre, worried expressions. There was a security camera in the room, still very much functional, and they knew all too well that it'd transmitted footage of The Doctor being taken down. The fact that no one had bothered to burst in and confine them yet could only mean one thing. Their captors' puppets had other matters to focus on. And judging by the amount of people that just hurried into the depths of the building more than one person was at stake.

"We have to get going", Spencer decided at last. He swallowed, subtly glancing towards the blood stain on her pants with sad eyes. "Are you sure…?"

"Yes, I'm sure." Scarlet's hands didn't seem entirely steady but her eyes didn't encourage second guessing. A beat later she was inspecting The Doctor's collection of potions and devices. "Look, whoever those assholes were running after we don't have any time to waste. We don't have any weaponary, either, so we need to get creative. Are you going to help me or not?"

* * *

On the other side of the building the trapped team of four watched tensely as the red dots danced on their torsos. Creating chilling patterns, taunting them.

The tension only intensified when a male voice David and JJ had never heard before spoke. "I apologize for the rude welcome. But considering the circumstances… Well, I'm sure that you understand why I couldn't take any unnecessary risks."

Leo and Dante looked ready to kill. David gritted his teeth. "We might be a little less on guard if we knew who we're speaking with."

A man stepped from the shadows. David and JJ stiffened at the realization that they'd seen his face before. On the security footage, where Scarlet slipped into his car and vanished. To the FBI-agents' shock the arrival revealed a very much real badge. "Theon Lannister, CIA."

Dante snorted. Disbelief was loud and clear in the younger man's eyes. "You actually still use that name?"

Theon, or whatever his name was, shrugged carelessly. "It's as good of an alias as any. What difference does a name make, anyway?" The man then focused on him and JJ, a disconcertingly pleasant expression on his face. "You see, in my line of job… one tends to make an enemy or two. Sometimes going by an unofficial name is a necessity. My code name isn't Chameleon without a good reason."

"What have you done to Spence and Scarlet?" JJ hissed, obviously fed up with the stretched introduction.

Theon's expression changed instantly, transforming to something absolutely horrifying. "Agents Reid and Moreau are criminals." The agent's eyes flashed, burning right into David's. "You seem to imagine that you know Reid well, don't you?" The man sighed, a look of undisguised pity in his gaze. "Do you even know what the purpose of the Rubik Five was?"

"You son of a…!" Dante hissed, his eyes narrowing while wrath radiated from the smaller man in waves.

"Yes." David frowned. Something warned him that he was about to hear very unpleasant things. "It was created to identify and capture corrupted CIA-agents."

For a microsecond disbelief could be seen in Theon's eyes. The agent then burst into a fit of laughter. "They actually gave you that Sunday school version? Well, it may be easier to swallow." The man's expression sombred quickly. "Look… Ask yourselves this, you two. Assume that they succeed in identifying those agents. What next? Surely they can't be captured without the full level of CIA's rotten core coming to light. So what option does that leave?" The agent took a step, constantly keeping his hands in sight although technically he was the one pointing the gun at them. "I'm going to show you something. And… I'm sorry, but you're not going to like it very much."

David and JJ didn't know what they'd been expecting. _It_ certainly wasn't a newspaper article. It took longer than it should've before they managed to process what, exactly, they were seeing.

' _… Dr. Oliver Harris died when his car swerved into oncoming traffic… investigating the events… survived by wife Felicity Harris and their two children_ _…_ '

David didn't like the taste that rose into his mouth. His head was still spinning when he looked at Theon with demanding eyes. "Are you saying…?"

Theon nodded. "If you ever get the chance to lay your eyes on the list you'll discover that six out of fifteen names have already been crossed over. The Rubik kids have been busy." The man looked at Dante and Leo with a wrinkled nose, letting his disgust show fully. "Glorified contract killers, that's what they are. Machines that have been built and polished to kill. 'Eliminate the threat by all means necessary.' That was their purpose. That was what they agreed on. The reason why the CIA has never officially admitted to having trained and hired them? Because such an honorable agency couldn't possibly have cold blooded killers working for them."

JJ shook her head. It was easy to see her blood boiling. "Spencer isn't…!"

She was cut off by something that they all noticed. One by one the red dots began to die out. They heard distant thuds, whimpers, grunts. In some chilling way it felt like the dark itself was creeping in although even a single one of the room's lights didn't dim.

It spoke something about the gravity of the situation that even Theon seemed to tense up. The agent's eyes darted around, so subtly that it would've been easy to miss. "Jennifer and David… You two are profilers. I'm sure that you've seen a lot of twisted minds. But I'm certain that we can all agree that Spencer's is something… exceptional. The same can be said about the whole team." The man stepped closer. "You need to consider your loyalties very, very carefully right now. Especially you, Jennifer. You have a son." The lights of the entire room went out. "When you team up with monsters you tend to get bitten sooner or later."

David reached out for his gun, his eyes darting around furiously in the dark. What the hell was going on? Where was the threat?

"Wait", Leo whispered beside him, although it was so quiet that it could've been a trick of his imagination.

There was a dull, sickening thud. Then exactly five seconds of haunting, horrible silence. Finally the lights were flicked back on, so suddenly that they were all blinded for a terrifyingly long moment. When they could finally see they barely dared to believe their eyes.

Theon was heavily unconscious yet breathing. A more than a little battered woman in blood stained clothes stood next to him, holding a crowbar. Scarlet, without a doubt. Obviously she wouldn't have minded swinging another blow. A harder one this time.

No more than a step behind her stood Spencer. Clerly he'd been through a hell of his own but he was conscious, alive and breathing. The overwhelming relief that realization brought… "Alive, Scarlet", the genius reminded her. He sounded exhausted and completely wired up at once. Then, very slowly, his eyes shifted towards them. At first they widened just a little bit before a tiny, almost hesitant smile made its way to his lips. "Hey. You found us."

Dante rolled his eyes. The man's relief was clearly visible, though. "Drama queen."

JJ didn't even hear. Before any of them saw it coming she'd closed the distance she'd had to Spencer and folded him into a tight hug, ignoring the blood on him and oblivious to his shudder of pain. "Yeah", she whispered, so quietly that David barely heard. Did her voice break a little? "We found you."

"You guys really shouldn't be here."

"For a genius you can be an idiot sometimes." JJ punched his arm playfully, an expression of regret appearing when he couldn't fully hold back a wince at the contact. "You needed us. Where else would we be?"

Leo's whole attention was locked on Scarlet. He didn't sweep her off her feet and kiss her senseless. Somehow it wouldn't have felt like his style. Instead he made his way to her with two long strides and wrapped his arms around her. Without wasting a second he, made possible by their height difference, kissed the top of her head gently. Scarlet held him back, her eyes closed and just breathing in deep.

After a few moments Leo distanced himself from her enough to see her face. As he did one of his hands slid incredibly gently to her stomach, his eyes asking everything far more clearly than any words ever could've. It was stunning to see the moisture the appeared to Scarlet's eyes while she shook her head. The sheer, utter heartbreak that could be seen on every little bit of Leo's face was even more heart wrenching.

It didn't take a genius to realize just how much those two had lost.

They stole a few more moments than would've been sensible. In the end Dante cleared his throat. "Uh, guys… Sorry, but we're sort of on a clock here." He pointed towards the unconscious man on the floor. "That piece of shit won't stay down for long. And I have a feeling that you two left quite a mess with all his playmates. We'd better hurry."

The rest of them nodded. Scarlet gathered herself with what seemed to require all her willpower. "You guys secure the building." She nodded towards Theon, he nose wrinkled and disgust shining in her eyes. "I'll take care of that piece of garbage."

Quite understandably Leo didn't seem to want to let go of her. But they had a job to finish. Caressing her shoulder with his thumb for a one more time he turned and joined the others on their way out of the room. David followed along, his head spinning from all the new information and questions flooding into it.

Then, just as David imagined that it couldn't get any more twisted, he was in the hallway. His eyes widened a fraction and his pulse sped up while he tried to comprehend the sight before his eyes. Beside him JJ gasped, Dante whistled. There were at least ten corpses around them.

"I know that you want answers." Spencer's eyes were bright with fear and sincere apology. "But… This isn't the time, or the place."

David and JJ could only nod numbly. Not really having any other choice they followed the trio leading the way. Both of them wondered just what they'd gotten themselves into.

* * *

A man who sometimes went by the name Theon Lannister had faced numerous… unpleasant situations before. When he returned to consciousness, slowly and very painfully to the sensation of suffocating and icy water running down his face, his eyes took their time before focusing. Once they did he stared right into Scarlet's fury colored ones.

She was sitting on a chair, despite her height seeming to tower above him. Her glowed hands alone were a warning. "Welcome back. I was hoping that we'd be able to have a chat before I need to leave." She got up slowly and made her way to him, bending over him in a manner that had certain parts of him beyond excited despite the circumstances. "Now… Do you know what I want from you?"

Theon swallowed. He couldn't keep himself from staring into her eyes, mainly because he preferred not wondering what she was planning on doing. "You want me dead." What was the point in dancing around obvious facts?

Scarlet shrugged. "Well, of course. Eventually. But first…" She lifted the hem of his shirt and, teasingly slowly, ran three fingers up and down the skin revealed. "… I want you to tell me the four numbers I need to open that safe in the corner."

At first Theon almost snorted. Was she insane? What reason did he have to…?

Then the burning began and he understood.

It was just an innocent, tiny tingle at first. Soon it gained spark and spread from the spots she'd touched to all the way through his body. It was a hellish inferno, one that seemed to tear its way all the way to the core of his being. Burning him alive, tearing him apart. He was howling in agony before he realized that he'd opened his mouth.

"Oh, trust me, I know. I've had that same stuff used on me. The Doctor has some unique mixtures." She leaned closer still, obviously enjoying the situation. "Tell me what I want to know or I'll touch you again."

Theon shook his head. Pitiably attempting to remain firm and brave until the end although he was neither. His poor heart was hammering so loudly that he fully expected it to jump right out. "No", he insisted with a voice that broke.

"Alright. Have it your way." Scarlet's tone was nothing short of calm as she grabbed his neck. There was pure murder in her eyes and when he saw the slowly drying blood on her pants he understood why. He also realized that he was most certainly going to die. And it wouldn't be fast nor painless.

"I just watched someone I consider my brother being tortured. My child's life was sacrificed. And you… I could feel you there, watching. Just like I felt you there when Gabriel died." She took a couple of sharp breaths, nearly losing her composure. "You thought that I was unconscious, didn't you? When you called them and announced that 'Houdini's dealt with'. You imagined that Spencer and I were goners, too." Her hand tightened around his throat, instensifying the burn to something beyond unbearable. "I felt my gun while I lay there bleeding out. It was digging at my fucking leg. It took all I had not to kill you right there and then. But a coward like you doesn't work alone and I wanted you all."

Theon shook his head frantically, desperately. "Not… going to… tell you…"

Scarlet arched an eyebrow. "Oh? I think you will." Without anything further she took a small, brown bottle and smeared greenish substance from it to her glowed hand. Then she slipped her fingers to his pants, letting them caress his most private parts. And in a flash he became a man who would've sold out his own child just to make the agony stop.

"T-Two… Eight-t… Zero…" He writhed and whimpered loudly when she squeezed just a little tighter. "J-Jesus Christ…! Nine… Nine… Nine!" he shrieked desperately when she refused to let go, wouldn't give him the relief she'd promised.

Scarlet's eyes bore right into his, evaluating, clearly seeing far more than he would've wanted them to. Then, so quickly and suddenly that his whole body convulsed, her fingers withdrew. "For your sake I hope that you weren't lying." She didn't ask what the date was about and for that he was glad. He wouldn't have wanted to give her something so private. Without sparing him a single more glance she marched to the safe and entered the numbers. The door opened with a wail of misery. There was a flash drive tucked away inside.

Scarlet smiled and hid the much sought after item to her pocket. "Good. I have four out of five, now." Her eyes were once more sharp and dangerous when they met his. "Do you know what I'm going to do to them?"

Theon nodded, feeling very cold. Of course he knew. Just like he knew that his own fate wouldn't be anything more pleasant.

Very calmly Scarlet made her way to him sat to his lap. This time the hand that caressed his face didn't hurt at all. He didn't expect the luck to last. She sighed, leaning forward so that she could rest her chin on his shoulder. "I'd like to stick around a bit longer. But people are waiting for me." She kissed his cheek. He felt the hand that wasn't caressing the other cheek move.

Theon gritted his teeth. He wished dearly that he wouldn't have been trembling so badly. "You… You'll go to hell for this."

"I know." And she meant it. "But you'll be right there waiting for me, hopefully with plenty of other old friends. That's enough comfort."

The stabs were so swift that Theon barely felt them. Until she twisted the knife. He gasped and shuddered but couldn't move, let alone speak. Instantly shock took over his body, wiping away all pain. But he knew that he was dying with each pathetic, gurgling breath.

So did Scarlet. She got up, stroked his cheek for a one last time and turned around, beginning to walk away. "Goodnight, Chameleon." With those words she switched off the lights, closed the door and locked it, leaving him to bleed out in the dark. Leaving him with nothing but his struggling, horrible sounding gasps of air for company.

* * *

Safely in the shadows outside the gang was surprised to find two cars waiting for them. Aaron, Derek, Alex and Luther all appeared beyond tense. Alex stepped forward the second she could be sure of their identities. "Hey, are you alright?"

JJ, David and Spencer all nodded, not daring to look at each other. There'd be long, unpleasant conversations up ahead but right now they just had to get away before more of the CIA would appear. "I just wish that you would've stayed out of this", Spencer sighed.

None of them dignified that with a response. Instead Luther frowned, his gaze scanning through the group of arrivals. "Did you find…?"

"They did." Scarlet did a remarkable job at hiding a limp while making her way to them. She smiled at the sight of her handler, genuine warmth appearing to her eyes. "Good to see you, old man."

Luther grinned back. "Good to see you, too, you big idiot. Now get in already or we'll just ditch you here."

Out of silent agreement the BAU-team took one of the cars. They had a lot of catching up to do. Despite that the vehicle was full of lead-heavy silence.

"What Lannister said…" David glanced towards Spencer. "Was it…?"

Spencer nodded tersely. Misery was loud and clear on the younger man's face. "True, all of it." He sighed, running an unsteady hand through his hair. "So… Where are we going?" Well, that was one way to change the topic.

A second ticked by, then two. In the end Alex was the least rattled one of them and managed to talk. "Luther said something about… Avalon, wasn't it?"

The change on Spencer's face was instant and dramatic. He paled and his eyes filled with barely human fear. "No, he wouldn't…!"

"What's Avalon?" Upon receiving no reply JJ went on. "And… Who's Robin?"

Yet again Spencer's face changed. The fear remained but it was joined by such primal protectiveness that it truly stunned them. "How did you hear that name?"

JJ showed Spencer his cell phone as a response.

Spencer gulped, if possible paling even further. The man's shoulders slumped. "She's my daughter", he murmured.

* * *

TBC

* * *

A/N: I suppose it's safe to say that the story's kicked in full gear, eh? We'll see what happens next. Who wants to meet Spencer's daughter…?

Soooo… Badass? Waaaaaaaay over the top? Just plain bad? A decent read? PLEASE, do let me know! It's always awesome when my cell phone pings in a new mail.

Awkay, I reeeeeeally have to start heading towards some beauty sleep… Until next time! I really hope that you'll join in for that one.

Take care!

* * *

Guest: It's definitely a joy that you think so! I really hope that what's to come won't disappoint, either.

Monumental thank yous for the review!


	7. Avalon

A/N: A day later than I would've liked. (winces) BUT, here I am! We'll see what you'll make of this new chapter…

THANK YOU, so very much, for all your reviews, listings and support! So many of you have joined this insane ride. It totally warms my heart!

Awkay. Because I've already kept you waiting… Let's go! I really hope that you'll enjoy the ride.

* * *

Avalon

* * *

/ _Aaron Hotchner wasn't the first person to give Spencer shooting lessons. A few weeks after their third official mission he stood at the CIA's shooting range. His furiously determined eyes were locked on the currently intact target board._

 _"Whatever happens around you… Stay focused. Keep your eyes fixed on the target." Gabriel's voice was deep, nearly hypnotic. "And breathe, Spencer. Remember to breathe. Will your hands to stop trembling."_

 _Spencer obeyed. Focused. Aimed. And pulled the trigger. His shot landed right beside the centre of the board._

 _Gabriel smiled, appearing genuinely pleased. "Good. You're improving. But the position of your arm? This is what it should look like." The man took a proper shooting stance, his whole posture elegantly straight, then fired four shots. They all hit the centre._

 _Spencer shook his head, impressed. He stared at the board before refocusing on his friend. "I still don't understand how you do that."_

 _Something dark settled to Gabriel's face. The man's hand didn't seem steady while he put away the gun as though it'd burned. "Experience", the other revealed darkly. "When you've taken down as many living targets as I have… It gets easy."_

 _Spencer frowned, looking at Gabriel with critical eyes. "I've seen it, you know?" he pointed out in a soft tone. "How much each kill hurts you. You don't want to harm anyone." He almost reached out a hand when the other shivered but decided against it. "Why don't you find a way out?"_

 _"Do you know my trick?" Gabriel's British accent was thicker than ever before. The man's eyes were nothing but serious before turning towards him. "I believe that one of these days… I'll be facing the punishment for what I've done. Until then I'll do whatever I can to keep the rest of you safe because you're the only family I have." The older man shot a one more bullet, as though aiming for something more than cardboard. "I'd suggest you get out while you can still think of a better final result."_

 _If Spencer had known that he was talking to someone who'd be dead in six months those words would've chilled him far more than they already did._ /

* * *

Spencer quite honestly didn't know where to start. Which was incredibly frustrating, since there were a million things he wanted to say and they had only an hour and a half of drive ahead. In the end David took care of opening the conversation for him. "So… Special ops, huh?"

Spencer nodded. He scratched his arm, entirely too aware that the itch was psychosomatic. "I… did something that would've landed me to a prison. The CIA made a counter-offer." He sighed, futilely trying to relax. "I've… been training martial arts since I was eleven. I got sick of being the bullied one."

Alex gave him a small smile of sympathy. Seeming to understand. "You still never struck back, did you?"

"No." Spencer ran a hand through his hair. "Not then, not yet."

"There's one thing that confuses me." 'Only one?' would've been a much too easy joke. Aaron frowned. "You… said that you worked with your CIA-team for five years. That doesn't seem to add up with you joining the FBI."

Spencer shivered. He grinned faintly. "Well… That might be because I was only sixteen when I was recruited by the CIA." He went on immediately, not wanting to be interrupted by questions. "I… My mom, she needed help. And… I would've had to wait until I was eighteen before being able to have her admitted. It would've been too long. So…" He trailed off, sure that the others would catch on, anyway.

Oh, they did. They stared at him with quite open shock. "You… forged your birth certificate?" Derek sputtered.

Spencer opened his mouth several times. Then he realized that there was only one simple, proper answer. "Yeah." What excuses did he have? "To help mom." Well, there was a saying of the best intentions…

Fortunately the team chose not to dwell on that. Too much, at least. "How did you do it?" JJ sounded honestly curious, which was a surprise.

Despite the situation Spencer grinned a little. "It's easy, when one can use technology." An afterthought soon came to mind. "Just… Don't tell Garcia, okay?"

Derek chuckled. It was a welcomed change, even if only momentary. "What, that there's another computer wizard on the team? Don't worry, we won't."

"What about Robin?" Facing his frown Alex clarified. "Your daughter."

Spencer tensed up to a painful extend. No one was supposed to find out, good people or bad. "Her real name… It's Ilsa. I hid her as soon as I could. No one knows that I'm her father. The CIA and the FBI included. There's someone I trust immensely watching over her."

"Who's her mother?" JJ inquired.

Spencer looked away and bit his lower lip. Visibly embarrassed. "Her mother… was one of my targets." Some color found its way to his cheeks, he felt it. There was a long, tension filled pause. "She was an assassin who worked for several interesting employers. Those people were who we really wanted. We had to find out how much exactly she knew so I was told to get close to her. By any means necessary."

The BAU-team could only stare. Disbelief and shock were loud and clear on their faces, no matter how gifted they were at controlling their emotions. Surreal, all of it.

Somehow they'd all, secretly of course, imagined that Spencer was a virgin. The innocent one. The baby of the bunch. This, having a child with someone without a doubt highly dangerous… How did any of that fit the profile?

"When did this all happen?" Aaron, the first to regain his composure, managed.

Spencer fidgeted with discomfort and cleared his throat. All of a sudden he found his own fingers terribly fascinating. "Not long after Hankel. I wasn't a member of the team since a couple of years before joing the FBI but some CIA handlers… consulted me, on occasion." He swallowed hard. "And before you ask, yeah, they _knew_. Apparently being high suit this case's needs perfectly. As long as I was able to shoot straight they were happy."

That admission made the rest of the team feel physically ill. That sounded just… "They didn't give a rat's ass about you, did they?" Derek muttered, not looking at him.

Spencer gulped, feeling nauseous himself. Of course he should've known that eventually this discussion would be ahead of him. Which didn't make actually facing it any more pleasant. "Only Luther did. Which didn't make him exactly popular", he confirmed quietly. Far too many unpleasant memories rushed to his mind. In the end he sighed, his shoulders slumping, and focused on Derek. "Look, I'm sorry. About hiding all this. And about knocking you out."

Derek met his apology with a stiff shrug. Too early, then. Spencer bit back a groan of sadness and frustration.

"What happened to Ilsa's mother?" Aaron went on when he met the unit chief's eyes. "You're talking about her in a past tense. How did she die?"

Spencer felt like someone had shot him. Despite the years passed the guilt took his breath away. He couldn't swallow back the horrendous taste in his mouth. "The CIA found out that she was pregnant just when she was supposed to give birth. My team… Despite Luther's protests, and my own, we were sent to finish the mission appointed to me." He wiped his cheeks although there was no moisture, at least yet. "To this day they imagine that the baby was killed as well."

JJ looked ready to get sick. "You… You were sent to assassinate a pregnant woman?"

Spencer returned her shock with a very dark look. "We're the agency's dirty little secret. This is why."

"Hey." Alex grabbed his hand, taking both of them by surprise. Despite all the things that'd been revealed there was warmth in her eyes. "I know that you've done a lot of good, too. I'm sure that those deeds count more."

"True." David grinned. "I'd really like to know what all you've had your hands on."

Spencer smirked. He felt a fraction better than before. "Sorry, it's classified information."

Derek replied with chuckling and swatting the back of his head gently.

* * *

Eventually they'd made it to the countryside. The BAU-team was openly confused when they abandoned their vehicles to a place that seemed to be in the middle nowhere. The two teams weren't in the mood for much talking while starting to make their way onwards.

Luther winced at Spencer's fierce glare. "I'm sorry", the handler apologized sincerily. "If there was any other place…"

"No one was supposed to be brought here", Spencer hissed. His eyes flashed dangerously. "For Ilsa's safety. You promised me that no one else would find out about Avalon."

"I know." And it was for so much more than this. "But at least you'll get to spend some time with her. When's the last time you got to meet her?"

Spencer sighed heavily. Crushing guilt mixed with overwhelming longing. "Too long ago", he admitted.

That was when they saw a massive farm. Two floors tall, painted red. It even had a white picket fence. The picture of a domestic bliss.

Spencer turned to his BAU-family. They were staring at the sight with disbelieving eyes. " _That's_ Avalon?" Derek sounded confused and impressed.

Spencer never got the chance to reply. Because they heard running steps exactly five seconds before a little girl's excited voice cried out. "Daddy!" Before he realized properly what was happening she was in his arms, hugging him with no intention of letting go and babbling excitedly in Russian.

Spencer chuckled and wrapped his arms tightly around her tiny frame. Then he somehow managed to let go enough to comb the fingers of one hand through her long, golden blonde hair. God, he'd missed her so much…! " _Hey, sweetheart_ ", he murmured, also in Russian, and cleared his throat when his voice broke. His eyes didn't feel quite right. It took a mighty while before he managed to talk. " _We have visitors. So why don't we switch to English?_ "

"Visitors?" Ilsa sounded curious and guarded at the same time. She held onto him tighter. He couldn't blame her. Usually visitors didn't mean good news.

"Uh huh." He nodded towards the people staring at them. "That's the BAU-family I've been telling you about."

Ilsa turned her head just enough to look at the FBI-team and grinned widely. In the way only a child can. Her huge, hazel eyes shone with excitement. "You're the Fantastic Six!"

Spencer was powerless under the urge to smile at that. "Yes, they are. Although Queen Penelope had to stay at home." He nodded towards the CIA-team. "I brought the Avengers, too. They've missed you."

That was when Ilsa finally noticed them and her attention soon locked on Leo. If possible her joy grew tenfold. "Uncle Leo, did you bring new puzz…?" She frowned and eventually settled for the Russian word.

Leo's eyes softened. "Yup. I have new puzzles for you. We'll see if these take us longer than fifteen minutes to solve."

* * *

Ilsa was much too young to understand fully what was going on around her. She was also much too happy to have her daddy back to notice the tension between the adults. She stiffened, worried, when her daddy disappeared with uncle Derek for a while. She didn't calm down until he returned, a smile on his face. "Would you like to say 'hi' to Queen Penelope?"

Ilsa nodded with intense excitement. She'd wanted to meet her daddy's third family for a long time. Now she finally got the chance to.

Her daddy said something to his cell phone, then turned it towards her. On the screen she saw a woman pictures she'd seen had introduced to her as Penelope. The woman gasped, covering her mouth with one hand. " _Oh my gosh…!_ "

Ilsa grinned and waved. The final member of the BAU-family looked just like she'd imagined. "Hi, Queen Penelope!"

Penelope chuckled and wiped her eyes. " _Well hello, sweetie!_ " It took a while before the woman spoke again. " _It's so good to finally meet you._ "

Spencer, who'd had his arms wrapped around her, joined in. "You know… There's a lot of talking we need to do. Would you like to tell Ilsa her bedtime story?"

Ilsa giggled. "Don't be silly, daddy! I'm too old for bedtime stories." She looked at Penelope. "But I could tell you one. If you want."

Penelope wiped her eyes again. " _Well of course! I love bedtime stories. What is it about?_ "

Ilsa smiled and glanced towards where the adults were gathering to the kitchen. She felt warmer and safer than ever in her life. "It's about the Fantastic Six."

* * *

While the BAU-team, Dante and Luther still talked Scarlet and Leo slipped away as subtly as they could. No words were needed while they took a shower together, content with simply holding each other in the mist the warm water caused. For a few moments they were able to lull themselves into believing that everything was alright in the world.

That was until Scarlet felt the water washing away the blood that spilled at the loss of their child and she began to tremble miserably. Leo's hold on her tightened and he closed his eyes, gritting his teeth so hard that it hurt. The water washed away their tears as well.

It took ages before they finally felt clean enough to leave the shower. Leo toweled them both, deciding not to comment on the rare fact that Scarlet actually allowed him to look after her. As soon as they reached the bed, neither finding the will to get dressed, she claimed control.

Leo shivered with warmth and pleasure under her ministrations. It didn't take long before his body was responding. "Are you sure…?"

Scarlet silenced him with a long, demanding kiss to his lips.

Leo understood. Right now they were safe but the CIA was after them. There was no telling how long the peace would last. And after what they'd lost that day he needed to feel her, needed to make sure that he hadn't lost her, too.

They'd never made love quite the way they did that night. Slowly and softly, exploring every bit of one another and trying to mend ache that'd never go away. Sorrow and love blended together, lingered in every move they made and every sound that erupted.

No words were needed because none of them would've been any good. In those dark hours it was just the two of them, grieving souls blending together. There in each other's arms they found a brief refuge from the brutal world that'd surely catch up with them in the morning.

It was a mercy, perhaps, that Leo didn't realize what her body was trying to express. That with each move, touch and kiss she was saying goodbye. That in the morning he'd wake up alone.

* * *

The evening had already turned into night by the time JJ set out to look for Spencer. She didn't know how long she'd been wandering around the enormous building until she saw a small beam of light coming through an ajar door. Fearing that she was intruding she peered in. The sight she encountered both shattered and warmed her heart.

On Ilsa's small bend Spencer sat with the sleeping little girl safely in his arms. There was a smile on her face while she squeezed her father's shirt so hard that her knuckles had turned white, clearly determined not to let him slip away again. Spencer's hand was incredibly gentle while he kept petting her hair, singing softly in Russian.

JJ didn't know how long she'd stood there, mesmerized, until Spencer switched to English. The change and his attention were so surprising that she jumped. "You can enter, you know?" he pointed out, amused.

"Sorry." JJ just couldn't look away from the father and daughter. "This… is going to take a while to sink in."

Spencer's eyes softened with understanding. He shifted to a slightly more comfortable position, careful not to rouse the child. "Yeah, I'd imagine." He sighed heavily and focused on his daughter. "I… I just got her to sleep. She kept making me promise that I'd be there when she wakes up."

JJ felt her heart break for him. She tried to smile comfortingly. "I'm sure that she understands why you have to be away."

There was nothing short of misery in Spencer's eyes. "She's only five, Jayje. And… And all she knows is that her only parent isn't here with her."

"You're staying away to keep her safe", JJ reminded him.

Spencer nodded faintly, unwilling and unable to look away from his daughter. Sheer agony was loud and clear on his face. "I know. It doesn't make it any easier."

JJ couldn't even imagine how much it had to hurt him to stay away. If she'd been forced to be separated from Henry for longer than a mission… Her mind flashed back to how Spencer looked when feeling her pregnant stomach. Or when he held Henry for the first time. Or when he saw Henry in a Halloween costume. It all must've torn him apart inside. "She knows how much you love her. Isn't that what matters?"

Spencer considered her words for a long moment. Then seemed to relax ever so slightly. He didn't quite smile but came close. "Yeah, it is", he confirmed quietly.

JJ smiled, hoping that she was able to offer him at least a little support. "Well, I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight. What do you say if I'd make us some coffee?" If she'd manage to find the kitchen, anyway…

That, if anything, made Spercer's eyes light up. He nodded. "Coffee sounds good."

* * *

Operating in the covers of the night was no challenge for Scarlet, even though she had a feeling that the BAU-team was keeping an eye on her. In one of the most deserted corners of the house she sat before a laptop and searched through her pockets until she found a flash drive. The one that'd been first in Spencer hideout, then in Alex's pocket.

She had all five of them, now, every single piece she needed to have a complete list. Everything necessary to step on the path she'd been preparing herself for since Gabriel's death. Her eyes flashed dangerously.

She'd make their worlds burn.

On her way out she met a woman in her fifties who'd tied her long, dark brown hair to a ponytail. Despite the late hour the house's guardian's blue eyes were sharp and full of ice. "So it's beginning?" the older woman asked.

Scarlet nodded sharply. Her own eyes filled with steel. "It's high time to get this done." She gritted her teeth, glancing towards the rest of the building. "They… They'd never understand. Keep them safe. Especially Ilsa."

A fire raged in the older woman's eyes while she nodded. "I've kept that little girl safe for years. I'll do absolutely everything it takes to protect her." It was a solemn oath.

Scarlet nodded back. She took a deep breath. Prepared herself for the pitch black path ahead of her.

"Scarlet." The older woman's eyes appeared far darker all of a sudden. "Burn them to ashes."

Scarlet gritted her teeth. "Believe me, mother, I will", she swore. Meaning it from the bottom of her broken, raging heart.

Their eyes met and held for a few stolen, precious seconds. The mother and daughter savouring that one, perhaps last moment together. Then let go. They both pretended not seeing the tears shimmering in the other's eyes.

Less than two minutes later a motorcycle sped away from the farm.

* * *

TBC

* * *

A/N: A bit slower chapter, I suppose. But I think some explanations were needed! And I couldn't resist introducing you to Reid's daughter properly. (grins)

BUT, as you can see, all hell's about to break loose… Who will win this game of cat and mouse? Who lives until the end of the story?

PLEASE, do leave a review! Heh, c'mon. By now you've gotta know that I LOVE hearing from you.

Awkay, I've REALLY gotta get going now. I REALLY hope that you'll all join in for the next one!

Take care!

* * *

emma: Awww, I'm thrilled that you're still on board! Don't worry, your review was PERFECT to me. I really hope that you'll enjoy what's to come as much!

Colossal thank yous for the review!


	8. She Paved a Crimson Path

A/N: Gah, it's LATE! But, I'm determined to get this chapter out today. I'm not going to make you guys wait any longer.

FIRST though… Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for all your amazing reviews, listings and support! It's awesome that you're all still there. (HUGS)

Okay, because stalling's just cruel… Let's go! I really hope that you'll enjoy the ride.

* * *

She Paved a Crimson Path

* * *

/ _Despite the brutal missions and death his team faced Spencer found himself enjoying his time with the CIA a lot more than he'd expected. Getting along with his team certainly wasn't always easy. But little by little they were becoming a family. For the first time in his life he wondered if he'd found a place where he could belong._

 _Spencer should've known that no good thing lasts forever._

 _Their latest mission hadn't exactly gone smoothly. Spencer was still recovering from a concussion when he approached Luther's office, prepared to finally give his briefing. Something had gone badly wrong. A little boy who'd somehow ended up in the middle of the battle ground had died before anyone present had been able to stop it. There was a lot to sort out, in more ways than one._

 _Spencer stopped about ten steps from his location at the sounds of fighting. A few seconds later Gabriel stormed out of Luther's office, his face a picture of devastated fury. There was a sheet of paper clutched tightly into Gabriel's hold. Before Spencer could utter a word his friend was already long gone. That was when he turned his gaze towards the office's door and felt a shiver cross his whole being._

 _Unaware of him Luther stood by the room's doorway. The handler's eyes seemed several shades darker than usual as they examined Gabriel's distancing back. There was something chilling and dangerous hiding in their depths. Then, as soon as they spotted him, it all disappeared like it was nothing but a trick of imagination. "Ah, Spencer! Come in so we'll get this over with."_

 _Somehow those events felt like the beginning of the end._ /

* * *

Spencer really, honestly didn't expect to fall asleep. But there in the safety of the farm, with his little girl in his arms… Exhaustion and his injuries got the better of him. He slipped into a stunningly peaceful slumber and for once he had no dreams.

Spencer didn't know how long he'd been asleep when he became aware on something warm against him. At first he stiffened, even prepared to fight, until he realized that he knew this scent. Knew this presence.

Spencer opened his eyes eagerly to discover Ilsa sitting beside him on the bed. She was humming a Russian lullaby while placing tiny, circle shaped stickers to cardboard. The very sight was enough to both bring a smile on Spencer's lips and moisture of joy to his eyes. " _Hey, princess_ ", he greeted. Then nodded towards the cardboard. " _What are you doing?_ "

Ilsa grinned with very visible excitement. " _Aunt Lisbeth told me where you went with The Amazing Six. Look!_ "

Staring at the cardboard Spencer felt his eyes widen slightly. It was a map of the whole country. Every single city and village the BAU-team had been to was marked by a red sticker. After a few seconds something oddly chilling began to sink in. How could Ilsa mark those locations? Unless she'd…

For a rather mighty while Spencer could only stare. Something deep inside him aching to a point where it seemed to be cracking. " _You… You've learned to read?_ "

He heard Ilsa's first word through a phone. He saw her first steps from the footage Scarlet's mother sent him. He'd missed out on so many massive milestones that a one more really shouldn't have felt like a thing. So why did it feel someone had been tearing his heart to pieces?

" _Daddy?_ " Ilsa was looking at him with a much too adult frown and a heart wrenchingly child-like innocence. " _Are those happy tears?_ "

It wasn't until then Spencer realized that he was crying. At the moment it didn't even cross his mind to wipe the tears away. Biting back a sob he took her into his arms and kissed her hair, trying to regain control over his emotions. Still his whole body was shaking. " _Yeah…_ ", he murmured hoarsely. " _Yeah, sweetie. Happy tears._ " How was he supposed to even begin to explain something so complicated?

With a bright smile on her face, easily believing his half truth, Ilsa kissed his cheek before taking a box of legos and starting to build.

A very much contented silence lingered between the father and daughter until the room's door opened after a knock. As soon as he saw the look on Leo's face Spencer knew that it'd be a good idea to take this outside. He ruffled Ilsa's hair, making her giggle, then left the room although letting his little girl out of his sight was the last thing he wanted to do. "What's wrong?" he demanded immediately, a bit surprised to discover both teams in the hallway. Save one missing face…

With a grim expression Leo showed him a note. In Scarlet's familiar handwriting it said ' _I'm sorry_ '. "Scarlet's gone. Last night she cracked open the Philosopher's Stone, took the list and left."

A lot of people swore. In the end Derek groaned. "Does anyone have any idea where we could start looking for her?"

To everyone's surprise a woman none of them had noticed before stepped forward. Ilsa's babysitter. "I'm her mother. If you want to start a man-hunt… Why don't you interview me first?"

* * *

Derek was on the edge and suffering from a rather impressive headache. Which meant that his patience wasn't even on the usual level. Lisbeth Moreau certainly tested whatever little control he had over his temper.

"Those people Scarlet is after… They're actual central figures of the CIA. Choosing such targets is asking for trouble." Derek tried to sound calm but had nasty feeling that he failed spectacularly. His volume rose a couple of levels when the woman refused to utter a sound. "We're trying to help your daughter! We're trying to find her before the CIA does because those people are going to kill her! So if you know where she is…"

Lisbeth met his eyes firmly. Her chin rose a little while such darkness he'd never seen before took over her face. It was the kind of grief and fury only a parent can experience. "I don't know where she is. And even if I did I wouldn't tell you. I swore as much to her."

A growl slipped up Derek's throat before he could stop it. His eyes narrowed further. "We're not the enemy here, Mrs. Moreau."

"Neither is Scarlet. At least at this point", Lisbeth hissed dangerously. She gritted her teeth. "Agent Morgan… Before you go after my daughter there's something you need to ask yourself." She leaned forward. "Before Scarlet was recruited I was a psychiatrist. And a pacifist. But right now, after what those monsters did to my daughter, her team and so many other people… I'd tear them apart with my own bare hands if I knew that I could. I'd hunt down each and every single one of them and make sure that they burn in hell. Because Scarlet…" She wiped her eyes with a trembling hand, her gaze smouldering. "My little girl didn't come back home from them." She stared at him hard, with a gaze that made it impossible to look away although he would've wanted to. "So ask yourself… Should she really be stopped? Is she an UnSub that you want to catch? Because sometimes the most horrific of all beasts come with badges."

* * *

In another room Aaron and Luther had been at a standstill for a mighty while. Both of them still somehow managing to maintain their poker faces. Both trying to read what the other's next move might be.

"You trained her. You're her handler." Aaron's famous icy coolness was dangerously close to catching fire. "If there's anyone who might know where she is right now… I'd say that it should be you."

Luther appeared nothing but calm. "With all due respect, agent Hotchner… I may be her handler. But with her connections and with all the training she's sought out… Even I don't know what, exactly, she's capable of. Scarlet Moreau is a force of nature. If she's on a mission there's only one power on this planet that might be able to stop her. For as long as there's even a single breath in her she's going to continue completing what she's started."

Aaron's jawline tightened. "So… You're suggesting that we should just stand by and let her kill all those people?"

Luther sighed. "Actually… There's two options." The man leaned his elbows on the table, focusing momentarily on his fingers before meeting his eyes. "You can try to stop her and I promise you that you'll fail. Getting in her way… isn't advisable. Or you can just stay close to me and wait for her to come back."

Aaron frowned. All of a sudden he felt very cold. "What do you mean?"

Luther's face appeared several degrees more serious than before. "There's something that no other member of my team knows. So far Scarlet's the only one who has seen the entire list." The handler looked away. Ashamed, could it possibly be? "I'll be the final name on her list. Because I'm the one who allowed the bullet that killed their fifth member, Gabriel Thomas."

* * *

More than anything Spencer would've wanted to be with his little girl. Mostly because he knew, with all too much certainly, that he'd have to leave Ilsa once again very, very soon. But he also knew that for the sake of his daughter and friends he'd have to do this. He needed to focus and keep his head in the game.

After a very quick glance it became apparent that Scarlet had managed to combine all five elements of the Philosopher's Stone. The code names, the real names, positions within the CIA, missions and casualties that'd led to the people ending up on the list and, most importantly, their locations. It seemed that by her actions she'd triggered an alert system but apparently she'd been able re-route the signal to a perfectly harmless location. They were safe. At least for now. Hopefully.

Was there safety anywhere anymore?

In the end the tension became too much. "The fucking idiot…!" Dante hissed. The small man kicked at the wall as hard as he could.

"And what did you expect her to do?" Leo snarled back. The larger man's eyes were abalaze with rage, frustration, heartbreak and worry. "Sit back and let those bastards find us? Kill us? Like they did with Gabriel?"

Dante groaned, rubbing his face hard with both hands. "Well… Like this she'll probably get us all killed, anyway."

Spencer really wanted the unhelpful argument to stop. And as it turned out he needed their help. "Guys." He frowned, staring at the screen. "There's… a one more file. I think it's some sort of a video but I'd need a password to open it."

Without uttering a word Leo stepped forward and punched in four numbers. Instantly the file began to open. A great deal of grief flashed momentarily in the tall man's eyes. "It's… Well, it was a… special due to date."

Dante frowned but, stunningly, was discreet enough not to pry. Spencer felt his heart break a little as it all clicked. Of course it was the day Leo and Scarlet were supposed to welcome their little one. Spencer gave his friend a loudly speaking look and after receiving a similar in return continued to work.

So suddenly that they all shuddered a little Scarlet's face could be seen on the screen. There was a furiously determined yet sad look on her face. " _I'm recording this because tonight I'm finally going to start my mission. And… I need you to understand._ " She was talking to them but somehow it felt like she'd had a wider audience. " _The people on that list… They've ended a lot of innocent lives. They may have badges but they're criminals, just like those people they claim to chase. And now… Now I'm going to make sure that they'll be stopped. Each and every single one of them. For the sake of my family._ " The woman's eyes flashed. " _By opening this file the few people I trust made sure that this video will spread. As you're watching this the file is re-directed to the CIA and to a massive news station. And if anything happens to me I've given instructions to ensure that the list, with all the names and all the crimes, will become as public as possible. Because… While you may be able to kill me… I'll make sure that you'll never, ever silence me._ " She leaned forward. " _Trust me on this… I'm not going to stop. The night is coming. Those with innocent blood staining your hands…_ " She gave a smile that would've chilled anyone. " _I'll help you wash it away while sending you to hell._ "

* * *

The moment Eleanore Willows, who was at the age of no more than forty-five one of the most powerful coordinators of the CIA, approached her house she knew that something was badly wrong. The very air around her seemed to turn colder. The second sign was the fact that there was a light on inside.

Her husband and their daughter were visiting his parents for a weekend. Which was a code for him considering whether the divorce papers he'd been nursing for a month should be filled out or not, she supposed. There wasn't supposed to be anyone home.

Most sane people would've called the police, of course. But the enemies Eleanore had made during her career… There was nothing your average pair in a uniform could do about them. Besides, there were some matters that wouldn't withstand the light of day. So instead of her phone she took her gun and entered as quietly as she possibly could.

Not quietly enough, apparently. Vivaldi was playing, her favorite melody. Through the music she heard a much too familiar voice. "Put the gun away." Scarlet Moreau's voice was stunningly pleasant. "A bullet didn't stop me the previous time. What makes you imagine that it'd make any difference now?"

Eleanore's brown eyes flashed dangerously. The firearm's metal seemed to burn against her fingers, to a point where they itched. "I aim better."

"I know." Paper rustled. "You're one of the few who actually let their own hands get dirty. I'll give you that much credit." That same sound again. "Now why don't you come here? I'd love to chat but I don't have all night."

Eleanore wouldn't have wanted to obey but she'd have to end this. Should've ended this a long time ago, really. Her heels clapped loudly while calm steps took her to the house's massive main living room. She paused to the doorway, unsure what to make of the sight in front of her.

On her couch sat Scarlet, reading a newspaper. Dressed in a simple t-shirt and a pain of black pants, no shoes or even socks covering her feet, the younger woman looked deviously lot like she belonged there. The redhead hummed appreciatively as Vivaldi's melody reached a brand new peak.

Eleanore shivered. It took a while before she found her voice. "There's no way this could have a positive outcome for you", she pointed out tightly. "Even if you kill me… The others will get to you. And everyone you care about."

Scarlet didn't appear impressed. There was a dangerous flash in the younger woman's eyes, though. "Don't worry about those I hold dear so much. They're more than able to protect themselves. Besides…" The redhead smiled sweetly. "Soon enough you won't be able to worry about anything anymore."

Reflexively Eleanore looked downwards. Her heart jumped at the sight of a metallic wire, pressed firmly against her Achilles tendon. Just as instinctively the offended limb twitched. It was a mistake that cost the coordinator her life.

The wire tightened, sending another one flying right at her neck. Death came like a thief. The last sound she ever uttered was a short, choked gasp.

Scarlet remained perfectly still for almost a full minute, staring at the very much dead body with sharp, alert eyes. Then, slowly, she lowered the newspaper and put away the gun she'd been hiding behind it. After holstering the firearm she took a sharp pocket knife and approached Eleanore. A deadly flame blazed in her eyes while she placed blade against the dead woman's forehead, then began to cut. Vivaldi was still playing.

Very soon what was most definitely the scarlet letter had appeared, right in the middle of the woman's forehead. Along with the number 57. The amount of innocent lives Eleanore had sacrificed.

Pleased with her work, Scarlet stared at the post-mortem shame marks for good thirty seconds. Then she took her cell phone and dialed 911. She had absolutely no reason to continue with her mission subtly and quietly anymore. "I'd like to report a murder…"

Scarlet was long gone by the time the first sirens and flashing lights appeared.

* * *

While the rest of the house buzzed with worried frenzy Alex kept Ilsa company, trying to make sure that the bubble of safety around the girl's stunningly beautiful room wouldn't break. She watched with quite open marvel how the child unhesitantly put together a puzzle that'd been designed for someone at least half older. "You're very good at that", Alex complimented.

Ilsa smiled. The girl's focus never once shifted from her work. "I've always liked…" After a frown came a flash of delight when the big, difficult word came to mind. "… puzzles. Daddy likes them, too."

Alex couldn't quite fight back the grin that appeared to her lips. Some warmth swell in her stomach. "I'm sure he does."

And then the puzzle was complete. For a little while the child admired it. Then tensed up in a way no five-year-old ever should. "Aunt Lettie… She won't come back, will she?"

It was Alex's turn to tense up. Was it possible that Scarlet had contacted the girl? "Why would you say that?" She really wished that she could've lied.

Ilsa swallowed hard. Then revealed a silvery necklace. A snake, wrapped protectively around a heart. "I… She'd left this, to my toy box." Despite visible struggle tears appeared into the girl's eyes. "She… She wouldn't leave this."

Alex's own heart broke a little. She wrapped her arms around the child who clung back tightly. "Oh, sweetie… We'll do whatever we can to find her, I promise."

"Good." A couple of silent sobs rocked Ilsa's tiny frame. "I don't want her to go away, like mommy did."

* * *

It took less than three hours before Eleanore's death reached the news. Both of Spencer's teams watched in solemn silence as a sombre faced reporter told that the murder had been brutal but the police chose to remain quiet on the details. Despite the officers' best attempts at least forty people had gathered to stare as a grim faced crime scene unit marched towards the house of horrors.

Not your average crime scene unit, though. They saw the weapons that'd been concealed underneath the all white uniforms. The eyes that scanned the environment, trained to see anything and everything. Those people were definitely CIA.

"So…" David's voice didn't sound quite right. "You said that there were fifteen names on that… list?"

Dante nodded, folding his arms. There was a sharp look in the younger man's eyes. "Half of them have been… taken down already. But we can expect more of these news."

"Unless we stop her." Facing their meaningful looks Aaron went on. "For her own sake we have to be the ones who catch her first. We need to act quickly. And officially."

"As far as anyone else with the FBI knows we have no personal connection to her", JJ mused out loud. She looked at the Rubik team with apologetic eyes. "I know how much you all hate the thought but we need to treat her as an UnSub."

"She's also a victim in this", Leo hissed, balling his fists so hard that his knuckles turned white.

JJ nodded, unfazed. "I know. Which is all the more reason to try and find her as fast as possible." She exchanged a look with Aaron and continued after his stiff nod of confirmation. "But to be really able to help we need to be on this case. I know someone who has the right connections and whom I trust."

* * *

Mateo's hand wasn't perfectly steady while he put away his phone, JJ's voice and 'thank you' still echoing in his head. His heart hammered wildly while he wondered if he just made a horrible mistake. It took a few moments before he was able to look at the man sitting on the other side of his desk.

His companion smiled. "Thank you, for your co-operation." The other man's hand flew to his ear comm. In a few moments a very pleased look appeared to the stranger's eyes. "I just received a confirmation that my team was able to trace the phone call."

Mateo gritted his teeth. Uncertainty twisted and turned inside him, forming a solid ball. "And you're absolutely sure about this?"

The CIA-agent, who'd instantly explained that he preferred being called The Doctor, nodded firmly. "Yes, I'm quite certain." The man sighed. "Your team… They may not understand, and for that I am deeply sorry. But agents Reid and Moreau, and their team… They are highly dangerous criminals. I've seen them take a significant amount of lives. One way or another they must be stopped."

The thought of Spencer being a trained killer, an assassin, a murderer… It felt surreal to Mateo. But he'd seen all the evidence. If this was the only way to protect JJ and the others… "What's going to happen to them?" slipped out before he got the chance to stop it. He was no fool, of course he had a fairly good idea. But maybe if the other lied well enough he'd be able to trick himself.

"They'll be handled." And that was clearly all he'd get. The Doctor offered him a strangely comforting look. "What you just helped my people do, chief Cruz… It saved several lives. With your help justice will be served. So, whatever your team may tell you later on… You're a good man." With that the CIA-agent left the room, not looking back even once. Only leaving behind the echo of his last words. "I'll keep in touch."

Mateo stared at the pictures of the people Spencer had killed. At the list of the young man's criminal record. But no matter how long he looked it all refused to make any sense to him. Eventually he gave up trying and buried his face to his hands, trying to keep himself from screaming out loud.

* * *

Penelope Garcia was just about to get a much needed cup of coffee when she noticed a man leaving Mateo's office. She froze, unable to keep herself from staring. Something about the man made alarm bells go off in her head.

The man noticed her just as he'd entered an elevator. A chilling little smile appeared to his lips. "Have a good day, agent Garcia", he greeted her sweetly. "Maybe I'll see you later." With those strangely ominous words the doors closed, separating them.

* * *

TBC

* * *

A/N: Yup, we're definitely approaching the BIG TIME action. Are you guys ready? Because there's a storm coming in…

PLEASE, do leave a note! Good? HORRIBLE? Luke warm? The word is yours!

IN THE NEXT ONE the brief peace comes to an end and Reid's forced to make a sacrifice for the sake of everything he holds dear…

Until next time, ya all! I really hope that I'll see you there.

Take care!


	9. It'll Be Alright, I Promise…

A/N: GOSH, it's been SO LONG! (WINCES) But now I'm finally back! And I really hope that this chapter turns out worth the wait. First, though…

THANK YOU, a million times, for your AMAZING reviews! You've definitely help me pull this story back from the brink. So thank you!

Awkay, because time isn't being friendly… Let's go! I REALLY hope that you'll enjoy the ride.

* * *

It'll Be Alright, I Promise…

* * *

/ _They all felt that something was horribly wrong as soon as they were handed the mission. It sounded deviously simple, really. They were only supposed to get some highly important information from a suspect's computer. They'd dealt with far worse. So why the sudden horrible omens?_

 _Yet they didn't exactly have a choice._

 _Outside a massive, high security mansion their team of five gave each other a look before each of them began to move towards their designed positions. Business as usual. Although of course none of it was._

 _The start of it was indeed deviously simple and innocent. Yet none of them could imagine just how bad it would get. They couldn't possibly know that in an hour Gabriel would be gone and two of them wound be horribly injured._ /

* * *

At the farm the gang was still trying to chew what they'd just learned when Derek's cell phone began to ring. Somehow they knew to expect something unpleasant as soon as they noticed that the caller was Penelope. "What's…?"

" _Get out of there, right now!_ " Penelope commanded in a terrified, frantic voice. " _Just… Don't ask me how I know, alright? But Cruz sold you out to The Doctor. The CIA is on their way there!_ "

The room's air turned ice cold. Of course they'd known to expect that this might happen. But nonetheless…

Scarlet's mother, Luther, Leo and Dante immediately went to seek positions. Spencer also hurried away and they didn't have to wonder where he was going. The BAU-team was stunned, this brand new twisted world they'd been thrown into getting too much.

Derek's jaw tightened. "We'll be fine, baby girl." He could only hope that he'd be able to keep that pledge. He took a deep breath. "Are you safe? Are you alright?"

" _I… I don't know anymore_ ", she admitted. Her voice shook but they could all tell that she was trying to remain brave. " _He… He called me an agent. Mocked me._ "

Derek sighed. "It'll be alright. I promise."

" _I know. I'll just… I'll check my systems because that creep probably got in and left a million viruses. And then I'll punch Cruz for not believing in us._ "

JJ gritted her teeth. "Swing in one for me, too, why don't you?" There was genuine hurt in her uncharacteristically sharp eyes.

" _Will do._ " They heard Penelope swallow. " _Just… Just stay safe, all of you._ " With those words she hung up.

They were all still deep in thought when what was left of Spencer's former team marched back into the room. Everyone noticed that Scarlet's mother wasn't with them. "No one knows that she was here", Luther explained. "And they never will. She's good at disappearing."

As though mocking them a gunshot echoed from somewhere around the edges of the farm's property. It was easy to tell what had happened. In her last moments she'd chosen to give them a warning of how close the threat really was. Aaron sighed. "Apparently when she wants to be, anyway."

Spencer's former team exchanged looks. Then focused on them. "Well, what are you waiting for?" Dante exclaimed cheerily. "You've been good boys and girls and have spent some valuable time interrogating us. Why don't we go and greet them?"

* * *

Ilsa didn't understand a lot about what was going on at the farm. She saw that the adults were nervous, realized that something very bad was happening. Scarlet's disappearance alone was a proof of that. But she wasn't worried because her daddy was there. He'd keep them safe and chase the bad people away if they came. He and his friends.

She jumped at the strange, popping sound that erupted all of a sudden. She was halfway on her way to the window when the room's door opened and her daddy walked in. If she was a little older she might've realized how scared he looked. " _There's going to be a lot of noise soon, alright? And I need to make sure that you're safe before that starts. It may take a while before I'll get to see you again._ "

Ilsa nodded slowly and hugged herself tightly. Her chest hurt. " _Is it a new mission?_ "

Her father's eyes flashed with something unreadable. And sorrow. " _Yeah. A mission._ "

Grief squeezed around her heart. It took a considerable amount of willpower to keep herself from crying. " _But… I want you to stay, daddy_ ", she whimpered. She just got him back. Why was he going away again?

She could tell that her daddy didn't like it any more than she did. Sadness and something she was too young to realize flooded into his eyes. " _I know, sweetie. And I'd want to stay with you, believe me. But there's something that I need to do._ "

Ilsa sighed, her shoulders slumping. She'd been explained this many times before but it never got easier. " _To stop the bad guys?_ "

Spencer nodded. " _That's right, honey. To stop the bad guys._ " He kissed her forehead and hugged her tightly. " _I'll try to be back with you as fast as I can, I swear. Because you're the most important thing to me in this entire world. Remember that?_ "

Ilsa nodded. And she did believe him. He'd never lied to her. But it still hurt to say 'bye' to him again. She held him tightly for a few more moments, while she still could.

She didn't see the tears he was fighting back while he gave a one more kiss to the top of her head, then pried himself loose gently. " _Now be a brave girl and pick up your toys. Uncle Leo is waiting for you in the safe-tunnels. And guess what? You'll get to go and visit aunt Emily._ "

* * *

CIA agent Jared Thompson imagined that the day would be the highlight of his career as an agent so far. Yes, the targets were classified as highly dangerous, but with the small army of agents he'd been granted he didn't expect to face much difficulties. He also didn't know to expect what he ended up facing.

Pretty much all his targets were already there waiting for him. There were unreadable looks on their faces. One of them revealed his badge. "SSA unit chief Aaron Hotchner. My team has been interrogating these suspects…"

Jared lifted his chin. "Yes, we're aware of your team's interference. There'll be plenty of questions about that later. Right now I'm more focused on getting these criminals into custody." He scanned through the group with his gaze and frowned. "Where are Leonardo and Scarlet?"

"They left together." It was impossible to tell if Luther was lying or not. "You won't find either of them here."

Something about the whole thing wasn't sitting right with Jared. His eyebrows furrowed. "I'll be the judge of that."

Which happened to be when he noticed something through one of the farm's windows. Movement. His eyes narrowed as he tried to see better. Was that… a child…?

He was just about to tell his team to barge in and find out what was going on when Spencer moved. Before anyone could do a thing the agent had a gun pressed against JJ's head. She gasped with shock, her eyes wide, while Spencer growled. "A single step… and I'll shoot her. Understood?"

Jared was seething. He could've ordered his men to shoot, of course. But the death of an FBI-agent who once worked in the position JJ did… Including the fact that they couldn't exactly prove that she'd taken part into anything illegal… It would've been far too easy to turn her into a martyr. Right before his eyes Spencer kept distancing himself towards the forest nearby.

He'd had the time to order five of his men to check the farm and three more to go after the slipping away duo when Dante spoke. "Hey! You haven't forgotten about me, have you?" Somehow he'd been fast enough to pull out two guns. "I'm getting bored."

Jared shook his head. "Nah, I don't think I'm interested in gunning you down. Even if you seem to be asking for it." He cast a subtle yet meaningful glance towards every single remaining member of the BAU-team instead. "But the ensuing crossfire would be… unpleasant, wouldn't it?"

* * *

Officially Jack Essex, who'd just celebrated his thirty-eight birthday, was a highly succesful businessman. No one around him cared to ask further, including his wife who was happy as long as he brought her expensive jewelry and managed to keep her satisfied. To his numerous questionable associates he was the country's best known arms dealer, such who never asked too many questions and always produced the best products. Firmly off all records he was a CIA-agent in a deep undercover, had been for years. He'd achieved the kind of a place within long sought terrorists that no one had ever been able to achieve the same. At first the things he had to do in order to get that position repulsed him. Not anymore. Sure, he lost his soul. But he wasn't going to drop the game when he was winning.

He was too good at being the monster he'd been supposed to play.

Night was still rather young, at least to him, while Jack sat in one of the city's most exclusive night clubs. He'd had a long, trying day at work, including putting a couple of high class politicians to their place. Now he was looking for the perfect playmate to drag into his room upstairs.

He was downing his fifth drink in fifteen minutes when he heard a woman's voice beside him. "I'll have whatever he's having." Meeting his arched eyebrow she shrugged. "You look like the kind of a guy who knows how to have fun."

Jack smirked. He licked his lips without even noticing as he drank in the view of his new companion. "Oh, you have no idea, sweetie…"

She was most certainly beautiful. Sharp, perfectly shaped eyes, blonde hair that fell a long way down her back… Her tiny black dress revealed just enough to encourage his imagination. Everything promised that she'd be a lot of fun.

She returned his smirk with a equally predatory one, moving so close that he felt her skin's warmth. As soon as her drink arrived she downed it, without a beat of hesitation. And made a face. "I genuinely hope that you have more taste elsewhere. Because that was the most horrible thing I've ever poured down my throat." When his response didn't come fast enough she rolled her eyes. "Are you going to take me out of here or do I have to find someone more entertaining?"

Jack's eyebrow rose. And then a small, absolutely filthy smile appeared to his lips while he paid for her drink. "With a woman like you…", he purred. His hand squeezed her behind, then trailed the shape slowly, savouring it. "… I'm willing to go anywhere." He sniffed at her hair and shivered with pleasure at the subtle scent of vanilla. "What's your name?"

She smiled at him in a way that left nothing to be questioned and stepped closer, crowding his space. Her hand caressed his neck, causing pleasant cold shivers. "A man like you can call me anything", she murmured, just loudly enough to be heard through the music.

The Vodka finally got to Jack's head. But it certainly didn't weaken his libido even slightly. He led his newest conquest to the suite he had upstairs, feeling lightheaded. Once they reached the door he turned towards his two bodyguards who'd moved not exactly subtly to follow them. "Are you fucking kidding me?" he scoffed. "You'll stay behind the door. And if anyone comes to interrupt I'll hold you personally responsible." He knew that it'd be a very much serious enough threat. He then went on in Hungarian. " _And if she becomes a problem… Kill her._ "

He received two stone faced nods. Then, deciding that he'd been waiting long enough, Jack turned towards his companion. She sealed him into a kiss that swept away all his reason.

The next few moments were a blurry mixture of pleasure and chaos. Hands were everywhere. His companion took charge of things. Before he barely realized what was going on he'd been guided to the room's massive bed and pinned against the filthily expensive bedsheets. The neverending kisses and gifted hands tricked him from noticing what was happening. All the way until he realized that his hands had been tied firmly to the bedpost. Before he could as much as open his mouth she'd jabbed a needle to his neck and injected. As soon as she had she slammed her hand at his mouth, her eyes narrowing in a warning.

"I just injected you with a highly effective paralytic. It'll kick in any moment now." After seeing his confusion she smirked. "I'm not after information. I don't even need you to utter a word." She leaned closer. "I just want you to suffer."

Jack's heart hammered furiously. Whatever she'd given him was definitely taking a hold of him. Who was she? Why was she doing this to him?

A truly dangerous look appeared to her eyes. "You have no idea who I am, do you? And do you know what the sad part is?" She tore off her wig, letting her own reddish brown hair fall free. She shook her head, her nose wrinkled in such disgust he'd never faced before. "I'm not surprised."

Jack tried to move, worked his hardest to force will into his limp muscles. But she was true to her word. He could only lay there helplessly, waiting for her punishment. All of a sudden he was spectacularly sober. Still he didn't have the slightest idea who she was. He didn't bother asking himself why she was killing him. With his history there were too many possibilities.

She sat on his lap and under different circumstances it might excited him a great deal. Her eyes never once strayed from his while she tilted her head. "Does Viper ring a bell, you piece of shit?" Her voice was completely smooth, almost pleasant, through that sentence.

Jack's eyes widened, as it was the only reaction he could muster. His pulse sped up. Because while his head was all foggy when it came to faces he never, ever forgot names.

"November 19th, four years ago. Nassau." Only a small, barely visible inferno in her eyes revealed the flames consuming her soul. "You and those people you call allies had two prisoners. You were wearing a mask but I recognized your voice immediately. You were in the same training program I was right after I'd been recruited. You still remembered me, back then in Nassau. You slipped once, called me Scarlet instead of Viper." She leaned closer, the tips of her long hair tickling his face and neck. "I was stupid and ended up getting shot in the leg. You beat me up pretty good. And do you remember what you did to my teammate?"

That was when she pulled out a sharp knife that shone threateningly when light hit it. Jack's heart quite literally stopped for a minute. Because at that moment he knew exactly how deep of a hole he was in.

If he hadn't known better he would've imagined that those were tears shining in Scarlet's eyes. "He stayed because he refused to leave me behind. And what did he get for that? You raped him twice, you fucking piece of shit. Right there before my eyes!" It was the first time her voice began to rise. "You beat him to a pulp and raped him. It took _two months_ before I got him to look at me again! _Three_ before he spoke even a single word to me!" she hissed viciously at his face. The blade was lowering constantly. "And I'll bet you don't remember his name anymore, either."

Jack knew what was coming for him. He knew that she was going to make it hurt as much as possible. He also knew that there was absolutely nothing he could do to stop it.

Scarlet leaned to his ear. "His name is Dante", she growled like a wounded wild animal. "Or does the name Apollo sound more familiar to you?" The steel was already pressed against the bare skin of his most private areas. "Doesn't matter, really. I'll make sure that you'll remember both names for the whole eternity you'll spend in hell."

Scarlet cut down.

* * *

Everyone present stared at Dante. Waiting for his reaction. It wasn't the one most of them had been expecting. Instead of deciding to go out with guns blazing he dropped his weapons and held up his hands. A flame of defiance burning in his eyes. He looked towards Alex and winked. "Well, sugar… It was fun while it lasted, wasn't it?"

While they began to take Dante away Aaron stepped forward. "You're not taking him anywhere without me." It wasn't a suggestion.

One of the CIA agents scoffed. "Oh really? You imagine that a FBI has authority over us?"

"No." Aaron's eyes held a look only very few people on the planet would've dared to question. "I'm not speaking as a federal agent. I'm speaking as his attorney."

The CIA-agent groaned and rolled his eyes. "This is a fucking circus…!" The man's left eyebrow twitched. "Fine. Come along, then. But I'm warning you. His criminal record is fairly extensive and you only have a security clearance for so much. You may see him to the interrogation sight but that is where your authorization ends."

Aaron's eyes narrowed. The look in them would've chilled just about anyone. "Very well."

Dante was cuffed in a way that suggested that those in charge were even that gentle only because a lawyer was watching. And that as soon as they could shake off Aaron there'd be something far worse to come. Dante himself took the entire situation disturbingly calmly. Even smirked at the woman tightening the cuffs. "You're into bondage, aren't you?"

The CIA-agent didn't dignify him with an answer.

Aaron followed along stubbornly while two agents began to drag Dante towards a waiting car. He exchanged a glance with Alex along the way, that single look speaking out everything necessary. They weren't going to give up on Spencer or his bizarre little team this easily. Before entering the vehicle he reached into his pocket, pulling out a small but sharp knife and slashed the back tire greedily.

Who would've thought that something his brother taught him would come in handy…

The journey advanced in a grim, borderline hostile silence. All the men kept casting suspicious looks at one another, far from ready or willing to trust. And then the car chose to fail on them.

"A flat tire?" one of the CIA agents groaned. There was a hint of suspicion in the man's eyes. "Well isn't this a lot of fun…"

While his colleague was left to keep an eye on them the agent left the car. And that was when Dante moved. Swiftly as a cat the young man reached out his cuffed wrists, pulling at the stunned CIA-agent's neck as hard as he could. And twisted. By the time the unfortunate victim's shocked partner returned it was far too late. "What the hell…?"

This time it was Aaron who moved. As fast as he could he smacked the man's head with his gun, rendering the agent unconscious. The wide eyed threat fell like a stone.

Dante grinned. If the young man was surprised it didn't show. "Thanks." The word came out stunningly sincere.

Aaron shrugged, not sure what to say.

"They would've killed me, you know. So I owe you, big time. That's why I'm doing this."

Before Aaron could react his gun had been snatched from him and it collided with his head, rendering him unconscious.

Dante stared at the unit chief for a few seconds, making sure that the man was out cold. Then sighed. "Sorry. But I'm not letting them kill you and that brat of yours. Jack, wasn't it?" This way there'd be no way they could name Aaron an accomplice.

Dante was quick after that. He took the knife Aaron had used on the tires and pocketed it. Then advanced towards the unconscious CIA agent. He stared at the man for exactly three seconds before making up his mind.

A minute later there were only three people left on the crime scene, two of them dead and one heavily unconscious.

* * *

They made it to the edge of the forest and a cliff that opened a spectacular view until Spencer finally pulled the gun from JJ's head, as quickly as if it had burned. His eyes were full of agony, free of the chilling act he was forced to pull off a few endless moments earlier. "I'm so sorry."

JJ took a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "It's fine", she sighed. "But we have to go. They'll be here any moment now."

"No!" Spencer's eyes burned, even if they didn't seem entirely dry. "Don't you understand? Henry and Will… You need to protect them! I'll never forgive myself if something happens to Henry because of me. His safety is my responsibility, too. Has been since the moment you put him into my arms and named me his goddad." He nodded towards her waistline. "I know that you have your gun. You need to shoot me."

JJ shook her head, her eyes wide and her heart pounding. How could he even ask her to do this? "I'm not going to shoot you just to give those people a show!" she snarled as loudly as she dared to, her voice breaking.

Spencer's eyes became incredibly sad. "For Henry", he reminded her softly. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. "I… I'm sorry, about all this." And he meant it, she wouldn't have had to be a profiler to know it. "But… It'll be okay, I promise."

He was wearing a bulletproof vest. He wouldn't be foolish enough to do… _this_ without one. She tried to make herself believe that, fought to convince herself that the horrible chance was worth taking. Because until she'd know for sure that was the only thought that'd keep her sane.

JJ gulped, her tight throat making it hurt incredibly. "I'm sorry, too." And she also meant it, from the bottom of her heart and soul. _Stay safe, you hear? Come back to us._

JJ aimed, then closed her eyes, unwilling to watch the bullet meet its target. The gun kicked back with such a force that she shivered, nearly dropping it. The gunshot was deafening but still she heard the thud and gasp that followed. There was a faint, shocked breath of air. After that everything was incredibly quiet.

JJ didn't even hear the CIA agents hurrying to the scene when she opened her eyes. All she could comprehend was that Spencer was nowhere to be seen and the only way out of the scene was down the cliff. She was blind and deaf to the worried looks and questions aimed her way. To the people demanding if she knew where Spencer was. Well, that part she did catch. She nodded numbly towards the cliff's edge, her heart shattering and hammering madly. Finally, finally the gun became too heavy and fell from her grasp.

/ _"It'll be okay, I promise."_ /

One of the CIA agents, a blond haired man with the sharpest blue eyes she'd ever seen, looked at her. "What happened?" he demanded. His voice promised no comfort of sympathy.

"I… I shot him. And he fell." Was that really her voice? "He's dead."

That simple promise was what Spencer told her. And she had to – _needed to_ – believe that. Because that promise was all she had left to hang on to.

/ _"It'll be okay, I promise."_ /

* * *

TBC

* * *

A/N: Phew! Now THAT was a ride. What'll happen next? Will they all survive? Will the truth and good guys win?

So, was that worth the wait? At all? PLEASE, do leave a note! It'd be AWESOME to hear from you, especially after this long.

IN THE NEXT ONE: Some people are divided, others come together. Some more truths are revealed while the gang prepares for the final steps of Scarlet's revenge.

 **We'll have about six more chapters ahead of us.**

Okay, it's LATE and I REALLY have to go. Until next time! I really hope that I'll see you all there.

Take care!


	10. … Until it Isn't

A/N: Yup, you're seeing correctly. We're back to at least reasonably regular updates! Hooray?

FIRST, though…! Thank you so, SO much for your reviews, listings and support! I left you hanging for a REALLY long time. It means a lot that you all returned after such a hiatus! So THANK YOU! (hugs)

Awkay, before I bore you all to tears… Let's go! I really hope that you'll enjoy the ride.

A SONG RECOMMENDATION FOR THIS CHAPTER/STORY: I've just encountered a song called 'Just One Yesterday' from Fall Out Boy. It fits the spirit of this story so well that it's almost scary! Another such song is 'Angel With a Shotgun' from The Cab. Actually, this may work even better!

* * *

… Until it Isn't

* * *

/ _Luther Brandt's job description meant that sometimes he received very, very unpleasant phone_ _calls. The worst kind. That late evening he most certainly got one of the most horrible ones. He frowned at the fact that the number calling him couldn't be traced. "Agent Brandt."_

 _"_ Listen really carefully _", a man's voice hissed. He knew with sickening clarity that he'd heard it before. "_ Right now I have three of your agents as my guests and I want your complete, undivided attention. _"_

 _Luther gritted his teeth. Did the best he could to hide the fact that his heart stilled for a second. "I'm going to need proof", he pointed out, somehow managing to keep his voice undetached and professional._

 _"_ Proof? Alright. _" A couple of steps could be heard. "_ State your names! _" It took a few seconds and the sound of a firearm's safety being clicked off until the request was granted._

 _"_ Houdini _", came Gabriel's perfectly calm voice._

 _"_ Viper _", announced Scarlet, who sounded far less patient._

 _"_ Prophet _", Spencer finished, his voice a little tighter than usual, the wheels in his head obviously still turning._

 _Luther closed his eyes, feeling sick to his stomach. Because he'd seen this particular game enough times to know how it'd end. How it always ended._

 _"_ So, as I was saying… _" The villain sounded incredibly sure of himself. Angry as hell, certain that he had the upper hand. "_ I need your full attention. Do I have it? _"_

 _Luther opened his eyes. Fixed them towards his computer's screen. It showed footage that another one of his teams filmed. It was a different mission, almost completed. "Yes."_

 _"_ Excellent. _" His talking partner sat down. "_ You see, I realize that this, these brats… They're only a distraction. You know as well as I do that I have three other base buildings. Such you know of, anyway. Fifteen minutes ago all communication systems in each of them went down. You imagined that I was too preoccupied to notice, didn't you? Unfortunately for you, and your team here, it takes a lot more than that to distract me. And that leads us to the big question. _" There was a brief, threatening pause. "_ Which one of the other bases is the real target? _"_

 _Luther's eyes were far darker than usual while he continued to stare at the computer screen. The team there was almost finished. They'd already breached the very heart of the building. Soon enough the plan that'd been hatched for months would be sealed._

 _Luther swallowed. It did nothing to erase the lump sitting in his throat. "We both know that I'm not going to tell you anything."_

 _"_ Yes, we do. And as of now this team will know exactly how little they mean to you. Oh well, they won't live with that knowledge for long. _" Two steps could be heard._

 _Spencer gasped. Scarlet was more vocal. "_ What the hell…?! _"_

 _"_ It's alright. _" Gabriel sounded nauseatingly calm. Like a man who was fully aware of and perfectly ready for his fate. "_ I… _" And that was when the first gunshot echoed, shattering Luther's already scarred heart to pieces._

 _Scarlet screamed, the wounded yelp of an outraged wild animal. Luther wondered which one would haunt him more, later. Her howl or Gabriel's silent surrender._

 _"_ This one was lucky enough to get a headshot. The other two won't be. _" And the criminal meant it. "_ Next time… Make a deal. _"_

 _Luther's eyes widened. He grabbed the desk so hard that his knuckles turned white. On the computer screen team Alpha kept advancing, infiltrating the building mercilessly, with brutal, sickening force. "Doyle, wait…!" But it was much too late._

 _The base on the computer screen was Ian Doyle's most important one, such the criminal mastermind couldn't even imagine Luther had knowledge of. Such the CIA handler wouldn't have had any idea of without a deep undercover agent Emily Prentiss. A lot of people had sacrificed a great deal for this information. And now… Now three more people, such Luther cared about more than he was ever supposed to, would give their lives._

 _With a thunderstorm of gunshots the base was taken over on the computer screen. Luther closed his eyes as just two more shots, coming through the cell phone that he held in a far from steady hand, seemed to pierce his own heart. He barely heard how Doyle left or how less than five minutes later Leo and Dante burst into the room, starting the frantic work of trying to save their two remaining friends. Nor did Luther know of the tears running down his cheeks as he stood firm, his posture straight and proud while he wondered yet again if it was all really worth it._

 _It was bitter irony that on the same day Gabriel was buried Luther found out that despite all the good they achieved Ian Doyle was still on the loose, courtesy of some powerful friends._ /

* * *

As soon as she was given from her daddy's arms to uncle Leo's Ilsa was told to keep her eyes closed and to stay quiet, no matter what. And that was what she did. Through all the running, the screeching secret door, through the shouts and gunshots she kept her eyes firmly shut and clung to Leo. Tears rolled down her cheeks while she buried her face to his black shirt, trying desperately to focus on the incredibly fast beat of his heart instead of the sounds of death and devastation. At one point she felt him shudder and grunt under his breath. She bit her lip so hard that she tasted blood to keep herself from whimpering as a response.

And then they were out. She felt a gentle breeze of the wind, even the touch of the sun. Leo, who'd finally put away his gun, ruffled her hair with a gentle hand. " _Hey, squirt_ ", he murmured. " _Are you okay?_ "

Ilsa nodded and swallowed hard, unsure if it was safe to talk yet.

" _That's good._ " A set of steps approached them. " _We made it out of there, okay? You can open your eyes. Because there's someone who wants to see you._ "

Curious and, despite everything, slightly comforted Ilsa cracked one of her eyes open. They were definitely outside, a safe distance away from the farm that'd been her home. Forest spread at their right, a small road at their left. And from the covers of the trees a familiar figure appeared. Both of her eyes opened and a wide grin appeared to her lips. " _Auntie Emily!_ "

* * *

At the exact opposite side of the forest JJ stood at the edge of a cliff, staring down as the river rushed on, wiping stones angrily on its path. The fall alone was terrifying. And the rocks down below… Despite the grim odds several CIA-agents were sweeping the edges of river. A couple of more teams were going through the woods, just in case. JJ could only stare, her eyes stinging mercilessly and her whole body shaking.

This was all a nightmare, right? Just a trick. Spencer couldn't just…! Not right after swearing that everything would be alright!

At some point someone had wrapped a shock blanket around her. JJ barely registered the fabric. Nor did she hear the familiar steps until a hand was laid to her shoulder.

The look in Derek's eyes would've been enough to break anyone's heart as they gazed over the cliff. Desperate for even the faintest hint of hope. A cold, heavy silence hung above them while they tried to make sense of the horrific events. Attempted to come up with a way, any way, this whole mess could end happily.

"He's not gone", Derek murmured at last. They both wished that he would've sounded more sure of himself. There was a great deal of agony in his eyes. "We… We'll find him, JJ. We're not giving up on him."

JJ kept her quiet mainly because she didn't have the slightest clue what to say. She would've wanted to give or receive a gesture of comfort but couldn't move a muscle. The only thing she was able to focus on were Spencer's final words, still echoing in her head, taunting her.

/ _"It'll be okay, I promise."_ /

JJ wanted to scream.

* * *

Luther Brandt felt vaguely nauseous while he watched a CIA agent interrogating David Rossi. They dragged the BAU-team into this. And now… Now he had no idea where even a single member of his team was. Two teams were going to face the downfall from this.

Only his eyes moved when CIA agent Jared Thompson approached him from his right. He kept his expression blank determinedly. "So I guess you're finally ready to take us all into custody?" he mused out loud.

Jared's eyes narrowed. "I just received… a phone call. Apparently I don't have the authorization to arrest the BAU-team. It can't be proven that they were aware of agent Reid's actions and they can't be linked directly to any criminal activity. Yet. I have people looking for traces. And let me assure you, they'll be under a very heavy observation for a while." The man's face twisted into an ice cold little smile. "As for you… I won't be arresting you, either."

Luther's eyebrow rose in a question he refused to voice.

Jared seemed more than happy to explain. "You see, as much as I'd love to take you in and… ask you a few questions… You're far more valuable as a bait. Because I happen to know that your name is on that list. Sooner or later Scarlet will come for you. And when that happens the rest of the merry gang will soon follow." The agent revealed a threatening row of teeth. "We'll have you all, agent Brandt. One way or another. Whatever it takes."

* * *

On the side of a road Aaron was nursing a mercilessly pounding skull and fighting to make sense of what just happened. Dante killed a man, for both their sakes. Then left, taking all the blame for him. The CIA-agents swarming around him kept casting suspicious looks towards him but none of them was making a move to arrest him. Yet, anyway. He might actually get to go back home. To Jack. The realization and the relief it brought were overwhelming.

Aaron was so deep in thought that he jumped uncharacteristically when his cell phone rang. He frowned at the caller ID and picked up instantly. "Dave? What's…?"

" _Aaron, they…_ " David swallowed thickly, clearly smothering a burst of emotions. Still the man's voice was laced with misery. " _There… was a fall. Or a jump. Reid, he… He went down a cliff. They're looking for his body._ "

* * *

Ten hours later Emily made sure that Ilsa was fast asleep, exhausted by the day's events, then went to check up on her other guest. She wasn't surprised to discover Leo pulling on a bullet proof vest. It seemed that he'd already armed himself heavily.

Emily sighed, her shoulders slumping. She encountered the rest of Spencer's former team long ago, right after she was working on catching Doyle. Since then and the rocky start they received, involving a lot of misunderstandings and even more bullets, they'd become friends. She knew him well enough to see immediately what he was planning. "Spencer trusted Ilsa to your care", she pointed out, already knowing that it'd be a fruitless attempt.

Leo didn't seem impressed but also not insulted. "He trusts you at least as much. Keep that little rugrat safe, yeah? She's too young to find out how messed up the world can be."

Emily nodded. Of course she would. "You're going after Scarlet." It was a statement rather than a question.

Leo's eyes flashed. The huge young man appeared astonishingly vulnerable and horribly dangerous all at once. "I'm going to find my wife before she becomes a yet another victim of this fucking game", he growled.

It took a second before Emily caught on. Her eyebrow rose. "Are you saying that you and Scarlet are finally…?"

Leo nodded. It was the first time she saw him smile. The sight was beautiful, despite all the sadness hiding behind it. "We did it four months ago. We were on a mission in Belarus and… well, the time felt right." He gave her a somewhat cautious look. "No one knows."

Emily shrugged. She understood perfectly. "And they won't hear it from me." She then grew far more solemn and sighed. "Take care, you hear? Come back home. And bring all of them back home, too."

Leo nodded stiffly. What could he possibly say? He surprised them both with giving her a brief, slightly awkward hug. Then, refusing to pause for even a second, he was on his way.

He already lost his unborn baby, he wasn't going to lose his wife as well. He'd bring her home. Or then he'd die trying.

* * *

Two full weeks rolled by. Two days of questions that turned into interrogations, two days of endless, torturous waiting. The BAU-team wasn't arrested but they also weren't allowed on any new cases. It was nothing short of a full suspension, really. And throughout that time there wasn't a trace of Spencer. The not knowing was the worst of all.

JJ ran furiously, letting the wind sweep her face brutally. It wasn't enough to numb her, didn't manage to erase those events from her mind. All of a sudden she froze, seeing a familiar figure leaning against a bridge's railing. Her eyes narrowed while she pulled off ear plugs that were blasting far too loud music. "What are you doing here?"

Mateo Cruz shrugged, discomfort loudly evident on his face. "I… This used to be your favorite jogging path. I thought I'd give it a shot."

JJ didn't respond, instead turned towards ther railing and gazed into the horizon. They used to be friends. And then… He sold her, them all, out to the CIA. For the first time ever she had absolutely nothing to say to him. "I assume that you're here for a reason?" she pointed out sharply.

Obviously her tone slashed deep. Mateo gritted his teeth. Then spat out the words like they were poison. "The CIA… They've found a body." Sadness and guilt were clearly evident on his face. "They… They think it's Reid."

* * *

A few days later The Doctor stood at a morgue, staring at a far from well preserved body. His nose wrinkled. "I'm under the impression that you have the DNA-results." He wasn't a fan of happy coincidences. But he had to admit that he was tempted to believe in this particular one.

"Yeah." The coroner was a strikingly beautiful woman in her early thirties. She'd hidden most of her hair but a rebellious, long strand of radiantly orange hair had gotten loose. Her eyes, one vividly green and the other deep brown, met his without hesitation or fear. Which was startringly rare, actually. "It's a perfect match. That body definitely belongs to agent Reid."

The Doctor nodded slowly, his eyebrows furrowed while his gaze scanned through the corpse. Everything matched. The hight, body structure, skin color, even the scars. Well, what he could still see of them, anyway. And yet… "Thank you, Sonia." His voice was pleasant but he wasn't subtle with the buried warning. He turned to leave, tearing his eyes off of the unfortunate lost soul on the slab. "Wish your mother a speedy recovery for me, why don't you?"

He was no fool. His instincts were what'd kept him alive this long and they were nagging alerts. He wasn't going to ignore them. But for now he'd devour the sensation of success. And if it'd turn out that he'd been played… he'd make those responsible burn.

Sonia managed to maintain her composure until the man's steps faded away. Then, feeling out of breath and sick to her stomach, she put the body back to where it belonged, tore off her work clothes and dashed outside for a smoke.

While lighting a cigarette she subtly chose a spot to which she knew no security cameras would point and inhaled greedily. And waited. Until her cell phone rang. ' _A.C.D._ ', the screen announced. "I was wondering when you'd call", she admitted. She peered around while inhaling a couple of more times. "I had a feeling that you were hanging around nearby."

" _Has it been done?_ "

"Yup." She gave a polite wave and a smile when a colleague passed by. "I don't want to know who my guest really is and how he ended up here. But it seemed to work."

" _Good._ " Relief was loud and clear in the other's voice. " _Be careful, though. He's still on high alert._ " There was a brief pause. " _And throw away those. They'll be the death of you._ "

Sonia's eyes widened. Quite quickly her gaze darted around until she saw a café on the other side of the street. And a man sitting at a practically blind corner, turned towards her.

Spencer Reid looked incredibly different from the last time she saw him. Blond hair, blue eyes, all black clothes sealed by heavy boots and a leather jacket… Yet she would've recognized him anywhere. Because the previous time they met he shot a man through the throat to save her life.

The Doctor was an idiot if he thought that someone who'd been an agent for as long as Spencer didn't have at least one contact from her line of job.

Sonia tossed away her cigarette. But not the whole package because she wasn't one who appreciated being pushed around. She turned, beginning to head back inside. "Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow, Arthur."

" _You too. Thank you._ " With that he hung up.

As Sonia walked away she wondered if she'd ever see Spencer again.

* * *

"Do you know what we used to call you, when we were still in training?"

Eric Janner, who was still a very much capable field agent at the age of forty-nine, twisted in his binds, decidedly not dignifying her with a response.

Scarlet didn't seem to mind his silence. "'Mr. Bruise.' Because your sessions always meant pain or humiliation. Pretty often both."

Eric opened his blazing hazel eyes halfway, peering at her. Considering that he was hanging upside down the view was quite twisted but there was nothing wrong with his eyesight. He most certainly recognized the young woman keeping watch.

"I used to be terrified of you. You were the only trainer I hadn't managed to beat in my first seven months in the system. You've broken more of my bones than many of my targets. But it also did the trick. I learned to endure. And do you know what the most important lesson was?" Scarlet got up slowly and walked closer. "None of you cares. We were just pawns, all of us. When we were broken you patched us up and sent us out there again. Used us as long as you could. And if one of us was killed… Sure, it was an unfortunate loss. But there were a lot candidates to take our place. Countless of lost, desperate souls waiting to be picked up." Her fury could practically be felt, even if her tone was deviously calm and her expression gave away nothing. "The agency took us and used us because you people knew that you could."

Eric swallowed. He was starting to feel dangerously dizzy from hanging upside down. The darts sticking from his bare, blood stained torso didn't help. "I was… only following orders", he pointed out. His voice sounded pathetic.

Scarlet's eyes narrowed. Finally showing actual, unhidden emotions. "Isn't that how it always begins?" She walked out of his line of vision, smoothing her long, black leather jacket. "'We're at war.' That's the justification your people have for everything. And you may be." The room's door opened with a deafening screech. "But it isn't _my_ war anymore. I've seen enough people I care about fall."

Eric gritted his teeth when he heard a gun being prepared. Bracing himself for a violent end to his violent life. "You're not going to walk out of this alive", he hissed, his heart racing madly.

"Who said that I'd expect to make it out of this alive?" Scarlet fired the gun. A shockwave of pain never came. "That should have the police come running." Sensing his confusion she clarified. "I have no intention of killing you because you're going to face something far more cruel. You'll be the only one on your side walking out of this. The questions… All that guilt… Wondering whether you could've done something to save them… Wondering why you were the one chosen to survive… You'll have to live with it all for the rest of your miserable life." The door slamming closed sealed his fate.

* * *

It wasn't until she was firmly out of his sight Scarlet finally surrendered to the limping. Dared to grimace in agony. She dragged herself to a tiny, reeking motel room at the edge of the city where she slumped to the bathtub and peeled off her clothes, revealing the blood staining her skin. Her hands shook while she washed herself, stubbornly ignoring the tsunami of agony, then began to tend to her wounds. They weren't deep or life threatening but they still hurt like hell.

In the middle of it all her hands froze entirely when they brushed something she'd fought to push out of her mind. A white gold band, hanging from a necklace. Usually it was hidden by her clothes but now… Her fingers were even more unsteady than before while she grabbed it. Remembered perfectly what was engraved inside.

Her and Leo's initials. Along with the latin word for 'forever'. Leo's choice, not hers. Back then he convinced her with a kiss that held a million promises.

It was the first time since Spencer's farm Scarlet dared to let herself cry, allowed herself to grieve the life she'd never, ever get back.

* * *

On his way out of the café Spencer froze as two familiar faces entered, so absorbed by whatever they'd been talking about that they didn't notice him. And even if they noticed him chances were that they wouldn't have recognized him. He kept his head down while also keeping a subtle eye on them.

Derek and Penelope both appeared exhausted, pale and worried. There were lines on Derek's forehead that weren't there before. Penelope's eyes were red and puffy. There seemed to be a ton's weight on both their shoulders. And all of a sudden Spencer wished, from the bottom of his heart, that he would've been able to confirm that he wasn't really gone.

But he'd already pulled them far too deep into this mess. He got desperate and they almost paid for it with their lives. It was high time to do this exactly as he should've from the very start. Alone.

And so, his heart aching with immense guilt and breath stilling from longing, Spencer left the café without looking back, unwilling to face the grieving expressions of two people he considered family. He could only hope that one day he'd get the chance to apologize. Or that at very least they'd know how sorry he was. His eyes stung madly and he couldn't convince himself that it was because of sunlight.

All of a sudden Spencer's eyebrow bounced up when he noticed a limousine parked to the street. He rolled his eyes when he finally recognized the driver who stepped out in a ridiculously dramatic manner. A neat, short cut to the now black hair and green contact lenses made a huge difference. Along with the suit his companion was visibly uncomfortable with. Neither spoke until they were safely inside the ridiculously fancy vehicle. "What happened to low profile?"

Dante smirked and shrugged. "This is a lot more fun." The man's eyes flickered towards him through the rearview mirror. "Besides, I'm not the one dressed up as a European stripper or a boyband member."

Spencer fought back a laugh, despite everything. It was good to have at least one pleasantly familiar face for company. "You don't exactly look like yourself, either", he pointed out. That was a far less hazardous approach than asking how his friend knew what European male strippers looked like. "At least I didn't steal a limousine."

Dante looked almost offended. "Who said that I would've had to steal this?" The smaller man wrinkled his nose and threw away the driver's hat. Instead of a clean haircut a pitch black Mohawk that stuck up angrily presented itself, hollering war. "I owe a couple of favors now, though."

Spencer decided that he didn't want to know further. He breathed in deep, no matter how tight his chest felt. "So… Now what?"

Dante's eyes were harder than steel. "Now we disappear, because you're a dead man and I'll be a goner as well if the CIA catches even a glimpse of me. And we'll find Scarlet before she gets herself killed so we can strangle her." The man focused on the road for a bit. "I have a net of… friends keeping track of her." Whatever the term 'friends' meant in this case.

Well, that was vague, at best. Spencer was lost in his thoughts for a mighty moment. "What do you think are the statistics for us making it out of this alive?" He hadn't meant to say it out loud. It slipped before he noticed the thought.

Dante grinned merrily. Even if there was the tiniest hint of sadness in his eyes. "Haven't you figured it out by now, 187? No one makes it through life alive."

* * *

TBC

* * *

A/N: Oh dear… It looks like the mess is starting to boil over! Which, quite right, means that we're slowly yet surely approaching the end of this tale.

Soooo… Thoughts? Comments? Was that a hit or a miserable miss? The word's all yours! (grins)

IN THE NEXT ONE: We jump two months ahead in time. How's the BAU-team coping? What's up with Reid and his former team? The bad guys result to some dirty games to lure in their targets…

ONLY ABOUT FIVE MORE CHAPTERS TO GO! (Pardon me if that number changes with one or two at some point.)

Awkay, it's time for me to go and get some sleep. Until next time, folks! I really hope that I'll see you all there.

Take care!


	11. Down the Rabbit Hole

A/N: Yuuuuuuuup, I'm baaaaaack! It feels good to be back to regular updates. Hopefully you guys agree.

First, though, credit where it's due…! THANK YOU, so very much, for your amazing reviews, listings and support. Sometimes an author's inspiration needs a little extra-kick and you've been the best possible help. (hugs)

Awkay, because stalling is RUDE… Let's go! I really hope that you'll enjoy the ride.

* * *

Down the Rabbit Hole

* * *

/ _It took five weeks before Spencer had recovered enough to stay awake longer than a minute or two at a time. He wasn't entirely surprised to wake up to Luther watching him, a thoughtful look on his face. The handler appeared as composed and well groomed as always but there was a palpable amount of ache in his eyes._

 _There were a million things Spencer wanted to say. But in the end he only managed to utter two words, his voice horribly raspy and barely audible. "I quit."_

 _Luther sighed heavily. "I'm sorry. About everything."_

 _Spencer nodded. Because he knew that Luther was honestly sorry. And so was he._

 _He'd almost fallen asleep when Luther went on. "I'm sorry that you'll never be able to leave this lifestyle behind you, now." There was a solemn look on the man's face. "I've watched you on duty. And I've seen the look in your eyes. You've had a taste of this life and nothing else will do anymore."_

 _Spencer arched an eyebrow. He was utterly exhausted but wouldn't have wanted to succumb yet. "How'd you know?" he mumbled._

 _"Because I developed that same addiction." Luther's eyes were apologetic. "When I wasn't much older than you."_

 _Spencer chuckled bitterly, his eyes slipped closed despite his resistance. "So…", he rasped. "Doomed 'til death, huh?" He fell asleep with those ominous words._ /

* * *

After a great tragedy and grief time moves in bizarre patterns. Immediately after Spencer's fall everything seemed to be speeding forward. There was the frantic search, the interrogations, the not knowing. Then the days began to crawl, blurred together, filled with gray, as the dread of the inevitable began to sneak in. The remaining BAU-team swam through the denial and anger because otherwise they would've drowned. Since then it was difficult to keep track of how long had passed by. Until everything froze entirely on the day they received the confirmation that their youngest was gone.

It was the failure of the greatest kind. The most bitter loss. There was Emily. Then there was Maeve. Third time's the charm.

But of course the story didn't end there.

Because two days after the crushing confirmation Aaron, who was still on a forced leave with the rest of the team, found a package waiting for him when he got home. There was no return address, or even his address for the matter. Just a brief text in a handwriting he couldn't recognize.

' _to Aaron Hotchner's BAU-team_ '

Aaron was understandably very hesitant to open it. Especially considering the current circumstances. But some mysterious inner voice made him call in the team.

They gathered to David's mansion because it had a decent surveillance system, just in case. None of them spoke much while they crammed to the master living room. All of them tense, the grief hard and heavy on their shoulders.

"It could be a trap", Derek pointed out the obvious.

"The thought crossed my mind", Aaron admitted. He examined the neatly wrapped item with a frown. "But the people we're now up against… They wouldn't have to result to this."

Unpleasant but true. Their enemies carried badges. Those people could come at any given moment and arrest them if they gave them even the slightest excuse. Their world didn't make a lot of sense anymore.

They exchanged looks. Came to a silent agreement. Then, slowly, Aaron began to unwrap the mystery. They all leaned forward, eager to see what it was. If possible the silence intensified at what was presented to them.

It was 'The Narrative of John Smith'.

JJ's hand flew to her lips. Tear welled into her eyes but didn't spill. "Oh my god…!"

Penelope could only stare, her eyes wide and a couple of tears spilling. Nearly holding her breath. "Is it…? Did Reid…?"

Derek's eyes hardened and darkened. His jawline tightened. "He's telling us that he's alive. He's asking us to find him."

"No." Alex's eyes held a great deal of sadness. "If we'd try to help him we'd endanger ourselves and everyone we hold dear. He'd never forgive us if we did that. And we'd risk him, too."

Derek swore under his breath and glared at the book. Of course he knew that she was right but he didn't have to like it. "Then what the hell is this about?"

David's eyes were dark with non-veiled grief and understanding. "It's a goodbye. At least for a while."

* * *

It wasn't hard for the team to feign genuine grief at Spencer's funeral, even if they knew that he wasn't the one they were burying. They had no idea where he was, how he was. There was no telling if they'd ever see him again. Or if he was even alive anymore.

All they had was his hollow, frail promise to JJ that everything would be alright.

* * *

The Doctor's eyes were sharp and calculative while they scanned through one of the rooms of the farm. The infuriating feeling that he was missing something highly important refused to leave. Wouldn't grant him peace. This whole puzzle had a missing piece. Possibly several.

"You've stood on that exact same spot for an hour", a CIA-agent whose name he hadn't bothered to memorize pointed out. She sounded amused but also a little worried. "Whatever it is you're expecting to see… You should've seen it by now."

The Doctor shrugged. "Perhaps", he agreed. "But one must always remember patience. These things can't be rushed."

That was when it caught his eye. A shadow. Frail and deceitfully innocent, easy to miss entirely. But he'd trained his eye to not miss anything. With smooth, elegant motions he grouched down, peering underneath the bed. His eyes flashed.

There, waiting for him in the middle of dust bunnies, was a clearly much loved teddy bear.

It might've belonged to an adult, of course. But The Doctor refused to let himself become derailed. This was a possibility that had to be looked into throughoutly.

If there really once was a child in the house he might be able to find a brand new weapon against the remaining members of Luther Brandt's team.

* * *

Two months flew by without anyone noticing it. Two months of planning, hiding, sneaking around, waiting, running and chasing. To the group that had expanded dramatically it felt like it'd never end.

What they didn't know was that the endgame was already getting started.

* * *

With a gasp Spencer woke up from a nightmare of Ilsa screaming out his name to screams and moans of a very different kind. For a few moments he sat on the couch, his posture painfully stiff and struggling to comprehend what was going on. When he did a groan slipped through his throat and he ran a hard, weary hand down his face, swearing in five languages.

Having decided that sleep wasn't going to be an option that night he was making coffee when about an hour later Dante emerged from the apartment's bedroom, humming what sounded suspiciously lot like a melody from Vivaldi. The smaller man's eyebrow arched at the look on his face. "Someone looks sour", Dante assessed merrily.

Spencer glared at his friend, as difficult as it was to stay mad at the face of that cheeky grin. "This is the _tenth_ … contact of yours we've roomed with over the past couple of months", he announced grumpily. He really, really wanted his coffee. "You owe me earplugs."

Dante, who'd been making raspberry jello sandwiches for himself and their latest new friend, chuckled. "Sorry about that, Grumpy. But beating you in chess time and time again isn't exactly enough to pass the downtime." The man pursed his lips, then came to a decision and pointed a butter knife at him. "When this fiasco is over… We need to get you laid."

Spencer grinned, relieved by the entirely too rare moment of calm. "Thanks, but not with someone of your choice. I wouldn't dare to fall asleep around them." Finally the coffee was ready. He poured a massive mug as full as he dared to. "I'm stunned that none of them has at least beaten you up yet."

Dante smirked like a kitten that'd tasted its first cream. "I'm irresistible, 187. Besides, they're perfectly aware of the rules of my game. This birdie doesn't do permanent nests."

Spencer rolled his eyes, using the mug to hide a nealy breaking out smile. That was when something on the TV he'd just opened caught their attention. A fresh news clip showed footage of a house that'd been completely destroyed by an explosion. There was no information on possible casualties yet. But they recognized some of the people buzzing around the scene as such they once upon a time worked with. Pieces began to slide to place.

They exchanged dark looks. Already knowing. "Leo", they groaned simultaneously.

* * *

The woman sitting slowly and smoothly to the other side of a table had a pleasant smile on her face. Her hand was perfectly steady while she moved a strand of long, chestnut brown hair behind her ear and glanced towards the documents before her. "So… I have a few questions for you. I'm not expecting you to answer in length because I understand that talking… is quite challenging right now. A simple 'true', 'false', 'yes' or 'no' will do." Her brown eyes were deceitfully warm upon looking at the target of the interrogation. "Have we reached an understanding on the rules?"

At first nothing but breathing could be heard. The tension was palpable. "Yes."

She smiled. It looked distinctly like the kind of a look a mother gives when her child finally agrees to eat their broccoli. Not that there would've been anything even remotely motherly to her. Besides, the fact that half of her face had been tainted by burn scars sort of changed the way her expression seemed. "Very good. In that case we can get started." She leaned forward. "Agent Moreau… Viper… Do you know where she is?"

The one interrogated gritted his teeth. Blatantly ignored the pain. "No."

She nodded. It was impossible to tell if she believed the answer or not. "Alright. And how about Luther Brandt? Where is he right now?"

The rapidly speeding up heartbeat could be seen. Dilated pupils, the changing color of the face, the scarcely visible sheen of cold sweat… "No." And that crossed the line.

The woman's eyes narrowed. Whatever warmth there'd been in them was gone. "Oh, Jimmie… You were doing so well." She clicked her tongue. "I don't like being lied to."

* * *

Just a mirror-window away a door opened, letting two people into the room next to the one where the interrogation took place. Spencer's nose wrinkled at the sight of the woman pulling out a tooth from her unfortunate, unwilling visitor. Tooth number five, apparently. "Is that acutely necessary?" he mused.

Leo, who'd been observing the sight quite calmly before Spencer and Dante arrived, shrugged and took a sip of coffee. "Probably not. But Viv needed to blow off some steam."

Spencer blinked twice, genuinely stunned. "Viv? As in Vivien Pond?" The previous time he met her she was a victim they barely managed to save. A mere child. But that was over a decade ago.

Dante smirked. He wasn't even trying to hide his admiration while drinking in the view of her interrogation. "She's grown up."

Leo nodded in agreement. "She's a part of my team, now." Seeing Spencer's surprise the taller man went on. "I'm not only a member of Luther's team. I've been a handler for over a year, now."

Spencer had a lot more questions but they could wait. Instead he inspected Leo quickly with his gaze, a frown of worry on his forehead. "Are you alright? What was that explosion about?"

Leo shrugged. "A distraction. I needed something to keep the CIA busy while a… friend hacked through their computer system."

Dante nodded towards their guest. "And that guy, Jimmie? Business or pleasure?"

"Both." Leo's eyes darkened. "He's the one responsible for relocating Luther. With that guy's help we may be able to find both him and Scarlet. And he's The Doctor's son."

What were the two supposed to say to that? Dante groaned. Spencer swore under his breath in Korean.

In the interrogation room Jimmie emitted something between a whimper and a hysterical laugh. "Dad… Dad's gonna come for me", he slurred. The missing teeth and blood making it appear nauseating. "He's gonna kill you, bitch."

Faster than a lightning Vivien took a knife and had it headed towards Jimmie's privates.

Clearly around then Leo decided that enough was enough. He put away the coffee, then marched into the room. "Nightingale, stop toying with your food", the huge man barked with the authority of a full army.

Poor Jimmie clearly imagined that his savior had arrived. Quite quickly he was proven mistaken. So hard that the resounding crack made Spencer and Dante wince Leo kicked the chair down. The only thing stopping Jimmie skull from smashing against the stone floor was Leo's hand, grabbing the man by his tie. Right below his throat. "Talk."

Jimmie did.

In the meantime Vivien entered the space where Spencer and Dante were waiting. Spencer observed with well justified suspicion and curiosity how her eyes flashed upon meeting Dante's. Before either man could see it coming she slapped Dante with an open hand so hard that it made Spencer shiver. "That's for Paris."

Dante's eyebrow arched. His eyes followed her distancing back. "What about Beirut?"

Vivien paused. But only for a second. "Check your pocket." And so she left.

Spencer sighed and shook his head. "Didn't I tell you? Keep playing your game and you'll get bitten."

Dante smirked. There was no misreading the twinkle in his eyes. He fished a piece of paper from his pocket, which without a doubt held Vivien's phone number. "You have no idea, 187."

* * *

When Jimmie stumbled through the streets an hour later he was blindfolded. That's why he didn't see the people staring at him. He felt the blood drying on his face. The pain bombarding his mouth. He was too out of it ot realize that he was stark naked.

Nor did he know about the tiny camera Spencer attached to him without him even knowing it, which was now monitoring and documenting his every move and everything around him.

* * *

Back with Spencer's former team they'd barely had the time to catch up when Vivien returned to the room. The look on her face filled them with dread long before she spoke. "You guys have to come and see this."

* * *

The past couple of months had been incredibly long for the BAU-team. In the aftermath of the whole mess the powers that be didn't exactly have utmost trust in them. They were under constant watch, even if after the first few weeks they'd been allowed back on duty. They were labeled 'the profilers who had a dangerous criminal working beside them and never had a clue'. A laughing stock. The things they whispered about Spencer… Derek would've happily beaten up every single one of those ignorant assholes.

And of course they missed Spencer and it didn't make things any easier that for all they knew their youngest was still alive, somewhere out there, fighting his own war. Their only hope was that at very least he wasn't alone. That he'd managed to find his former CIA-team. To imagine him going against a force like that all by himself…

It was against Derek's nature to not do anything when someone he considered family was in such a danger. But he knew that any move from him would've put the genius into a even grater danger. For now Spencer's enemies believed the man dead. The longer things stayed that way the more hope there was that this might end up positively.

They all coped with the horrific wait differently. JJ's relationship with Will was strained when he attempted to support her through great grief and she wrestled with the guilt of knowing so much what he didn't. For the second time. Aaron had always been hard to read but they saw new worry lines on his face. The rest of them could only imagine how much heat he faced from the higher ups, how much blame had been smashed on his shoulders over failing to see Spencer's alleged true colors. Alex had known Spencer the briefest time but of course she'd been affected by the young man's spirit. No one asked for explanations when she asked to be the one to keep Spencer's most important book until he'd return. They knew, even without using any profiling skills, that she kept it like the great, precious treasure it was. David became more quiet, a little more withdrawn. They could see him casting glances towards Spencer's empty desk when he thought no one was looking. The senior profiler had lost far too many teammembers and friends. It was easy to imagine that he couldn't stand the thought of possibly losing another. Penelope tried to be brave and strong for all of them. She hid her own pain and grief, attempted to keep them together despite the gaping hole they all felt entirely too clearly. Derek had only seen her break down once, when he entered her lair without a knock and found her wiping away tears.

Derek himself… He just wanted things to go back to how they used to be. To the simpler times. He was angry, confused and in a desperate need of answers only the very person who'd slipped away from them could've given.

Having gotten rid of some pent up energy at the bureau's gym Derek found his way to Penelope's office. He frowned at the sight of her staring at the computer screen with an expression of shock, rage and disgust, a hand pressed against her mouth. "Baby girl? What's wrong?"

"I just… This was floating around YouTube. At first I thought that it's fake but now…" Penelope gulped thickly. "It took me a while to recognize him."

Dread growing rapidly, Derek peered at the screen. The video's title alone was something that made his eyebrow arch. "' _The aftermath of a CIA interrogation_ '?" Almost certain that he didn't want to know more he leaned closer. And felt bile rise to his throat.

The man on the screen… He'd been beaten so throughoutly that it made identification a challenge. He was cuffed to a chair, naked so that each and every little bit of damage stood out violently against his unnaturally pale skin. Cuts… Burn marks… Electric and cigarette burns… It was almost impossible to imagine that the man was actually alive. Yet he was, and even conscious, glaring at the camera filming him with a firmly burning fire in his eyes. All of a sudden Derek recognized him and felt sick to his stomach.

The tortured man was without a doubt Luther Brandt.

* * *

Since the gruesome deaths began those who had a hunch that they may be on Scarlet's list began to protect themselves. Each in their own way. Some attempted to flee the country. They never managed to. Others attempted to enhance their security systems. Those poor souls didn't have a lot more luck. And then there was one who prepared himself quite calmly. Sought out a life insurance that'd guarantee he'd either live or die knowing that he'd succeeded in setting someone's whole life on fire.

Rain was beating the apartment building when a silent alarm announced that he had an unwanted visitor. The owner of the penthouse apartment, a man in his late forties named Castiel Rivers, emptied his glass calmly and listened. At first all he heard was the rain. Then a small, breath like sound. And finally steps. The gaze of his blue eyes shifted just enough to spot a shadow at the corner of his eye.

Castiel's fists balled while he braced himself. "I'll admit that I expected you earlier." Taking a breath he fiddled with his phone, sending a text message.

"I'm here now." Scarlet's voice was smoother than velvet. "Ready to take care of you."

A shiver traveled through Castiel. "I know." A text message alert sounded. "Check your phone first, though."

Scarlet did. In a flash a tense, horrifying silence filled the room. Castiel knew why, having been the one who took the picture Scarlet just saw.

It was the teddy bear The Doctor found from the farm, covered in blood.

He was on the floor faster than he saw anything move, a knife pressed so firmly against his throat that he could barely breath. Scarlet's eyes burned like hellfire. "What the hell was that about?" she growled.

"A life insurance." Castiel swallowed hard, fighting the urge to look away. "That… That brat may be completely safe. Or not. It's your call." He breathed laboriously against the ice cool steel. "What's… What's your call?"

* * *

In the meantime at the tiny, secret base of Leo's team Spencer, Leo and Dante finished watching the video clip on Luther. Leo squeezed the desk so hard that it was a miracle it didn't break. Dante swore, loudly, and kicked the wall. "The only reason they've allowed this to be published and stay on the internet for hours is that they wanted us to see it", Spencer reasoned quietly. His stomach was still tightened uncomfortably and it was incredibly hard not to let emotions take over. "They're inviting us."

"Then let's not disappoint them", Dante hissed, his eyes ablaze. "We have his location. We just need men and fire power." The small man's eyes darted towards Leo. "And a few of your bombs." Seeing mistrust the man rolled his eyes. "I'll be careful this time, I promise."

Leo sighed. "Fine. My team will go with you as well."

Dante seemed genuinely surprised. "Oh? You're not coming along to play?"

Leo shook his head. "My team… They've been going through the CIA's system. And this morning they finally found traces of what we've been looking for. That's why I arranged the explosion." His eyes flashed. "We've known that Scarlet has The Philosopher's Stone and that she managed to crack it open. But we never actually saw the information she did. My team's been able to re-create it. Exactly the version of it that Scarlet has. Including her next target. I'm trying to get there before she does."

Spencer frowned. For someone reason alarm bells just went off in his head. "Do you need backup?"

Leo shook his head firmly. "You know Scarlet. Me going to face her alone is the safest option. I don't want things to get any more out of control than they are."

"Are you sure that it's safe even for you?" Spencer hated voicing that thought but it was unavoidable. "She's… changed."

Leo gritted his teeth. Obviously furiously determined. "Well, I'm willing to take that risk for her."

"And the guy she's there for?" There was a knowing look in Dante's eyes. "What are you going to do with him? Are you going to save him or help Scarlet take down another one? Becase I was under the impression that we're supposed to be better than them."

Leo's eyes darkened but he didn't speak a word.

The incredibly tense silence that followed was cut by Spencer receiving two text messages. His chest clenched and he had a nauseating feeling why even before he read the brief texts. The first one couldn't be from anyone but The Doctor. And the second one came from Emily Prentiss' number only he knew.

' _You've played incredibly well, I'll give you that. But it's getting a little tiring. If you're not actually dead you may wish to be soon enough._ '

' _MORIARTY_ '

* * *

TBC

* * *

A/N: Uh huh… Something tells me that we may see Mad Daddy-Bear Reid in the next chapter…! And what else is happening? Things are indeed almost at the boiling point.

Soooo… Any good, at all? Or a pancake? The vote's yours, folks!

IN THE NEXT ONE: Many encounters take place and not everyone walks out alive…

ONLY FOUR MORE AND AN EPILOGUE TO GO! (I still hang on the liberty to change that number by one or two because sometimes these things surprise me, heh.)

Until next time! I REALLY hope that I'll see you all there.

Take care!


	12. When You Light Fire on a Beehive…

A/N: The birth process of this chapter wasn't easy. Mainly because I had to make one pretty nasty decision… (winces) But it's FINALLY here! So… Yay?

First things first, of course… THANK YOU, so very much, for all your reviews and support! It's been a great ride, despite the LONG updating gap at one point. It makes me super happy that you're taking it with me.

Awkay, before I'll have you all rolling your eyes… Let's go! I really hope that you'll enjoy the ride.

* * *

When You Light Fire on a Beehive…

* * *

/ _The day they buried Gabriel they said goodbye to so much more than their friend. The four remaining members of the team that was supposed to be a disaster from the start were huddled together, savouring the final moments the world as they'd known it was still somewhat intact. It was easy to tell that Spencer and Scarlet weren't pale solely because they were still recovering. All four of them appeared every bit as young as they were._

 _This was why Luther didn't protest Spencer's resignation. Because he knew that they'd never get over this, not really. Things would never be the same again._

 _Scarlet's eyes found his. Full of such rage he'd seen far too often. Somehow he saw how it'd all end right at that very moment, even if he didn't want to admit it to himself._ /

* * *

Scarlet listened very calmly. That alone should've been enough of a warning for Castiel. When she eventually spoke her voice was perfectly even, free of malice. "Is the child still unharmed?"

"Yeah." Castiel didn't seem entirely sure of his footing anymore. Clearly he saw something in her eyes that indicated he'd just made a huge error of judgement. "Don't worry, the brat's in one piece."

Scarlet shook her head. "I wasn't asking for my sake, or even hers", she clarified evenly, meaning every single word. Even if the fact that her god-daughter was fine nearly made her knees go weak with relief. "I was asking for your sake. Because I'm trying to decide how painfully I'll kill you."

* * *

Unlike most of the members of his former team Spencer had never had a mean temper. But even he had his limit. And when someone threatened his daughter and one of his best friends… Oh no, he certainly wasn't happy.

Spencer left his sleek, black motorcycle at a subtle distance from his destination. These were the coordinates The Doctor texted him and he knew full well that it was a trap. But what proper parent wouldn't be willing to go to hell itself for their child? While Spencer took off his helmet his eyes were quick to inspect the environment, a quiet suburban street. A few people were hurrying towards their homes, eager to get away from the bitter wind. A young couple was having what looked like a bitter fight. A suffering looking father was dragging a whining child towards a family sized Volvo. To most people there would've been nothing spectacular at all. Spencer spotted five people observing him. He could only imagine who they really worked for. It didn't matter, really. There were also eight people sneaking closer who worked for him.

His steps were smooth and confident while he approached one of his favorite hideouts. Too bad he wouldn't be able to use it after this. It was a place of many good memories, even if he often went there to lick his wounds.

Spencer rang the doorbell and waited, using all his willpower into keeping his expression even. Slowly and subtly his hand slid towards where his gun was hidden underneath his coat. He wasn't quite insane enough to imagine that this meeting would be a warm one.

Then the door opened and whatever he'd been planning faded into thin air. Because standing there, with a cautious yet curious look on her face, was Ilsa. She frowned. Seeking, with eyes that seemed to have grown so much older since the last time he saw her. Then her eyes lit up with sheer joy. "Daddy?" She blinked twice, much too young to fully understand what was going on. Her English had improved a great deal. "Is the hide and seek over?" No questions as to where he'd been. No accusations. Just genuine hope.

Spencer felt like someone had plunged a knife through his heart. "Not yet", he admitted, trying to keep his voice light. It felt strange to use English with her. It wasn't very hard to smile at the sight of her. "But I had to come and see you."

Ilsa was instantly in his arms and for a few much too brief moments nothing else mattered. He held her as tightly as he dared to. Wishing from the bottom of his aching heart that he would've been able to just grab her and run, away from all this.

When they eventually withdrew from the embrace there was still a wide smile on Ilsa's face. "Big uncle Daniel's visiting, too. He wanted to wait for you."

Spencer's blood turned into ice. Before he had a second to prepare himself for it The Doctor walked in, laying a large, meaningful hand on Ilsa's tiny shoulder. The man smiled pleasantly at him. "Well hello, Spencer. I really wish that you'd keep in touch with your uncle more often."

Spencer returned the smile, his hand tightening around his firearm. His eyes were quick to scan through what he could see of the house. "Where's Emily?"

Daniel Reid, or The Doctor as Spencer was far more happy to call him, shrugged. "She's quite alright, simply taking a nap. I told her to go to bed when she started feeling drowsy after we had some coffee." The man gestured towards the house with the hand that wasn't squeezing Ilsa's shoulder. "Why don't you come in? We have a lot of catching up to do."

* * *

Luther wasn't entirely sure how or why he was still alive. Nor did he know how long had passed. He'd been tortured in ways that under different circumstances might've impressed him with their creativity. It didn't make things any easier that for who knows how long he'd been abandoned to this reeking room blindfolded, with no food or water. Right now he just wanted it all to end.

Well, apparently he wouldn't have to wait any longer. Sounds of some sort of a fight could be heard from the hallway. Luther tensed up, preparing himself for anything. And then the door was opened. Two sets of arms hauled him up, urging him none too gently to just keep walking. Under the circumstances Luther didn't exactly have a choice.

It seemed to take a lifetime before they reached their destination and he was shoved into… a car, apparently. When the blindfold was removed he was blinded by the light for a second. Until he was able to distinguish Dante's smirking, blood stained face. "Did you think that we forgot about you?"

* * *

Spencer urged Ilsa to go and play, willing her to get as far away from The Doctor and whatever was about to happen as possible. The men made their way to the living room with steaming mugs of coffee and sat down calmly. All of it appeared nauseatingly normal. It might've been if they both hadn't had one hand on a gun.

"I was at your funeral", The Doctor pointed out.

Spencer shrugged, taking a long sip of his drink. "And I was at yours. It looks like we're both bad at staying dead."

The Doctor chuckled and mimicked his gesture. "True", the older man admitted. Then grew a great deal more sombre. "You've been a thorn at my side, you know. I'm afraid that I made the mistake of underestimating you when you became an agent."

Spencer smiled. "Don't be too hard on yourself. A lot of people have made that same mistake." His eyes then narrowed, all traces of pleasantness leaving his face. "Not many people have made the mistake of threatening my daughter, though."

The Doctor sighed. "Yes, well, I knew that you'd take it personally. Apologies. But I needed to ensure that you'll attend to this little meeting."

Spencer gritted his teeth so hard that it hurt. Subtly, unnoticeably, he checked the time while taking a new gulp of coffee. "Not the wisest way to invite me to a meeting", he pointed out sharply.

"I'm aware." The Doctor was finished with his coffee. "Which is why I came prepared. I assume you saw my friends outside?"

"Of course I did." Spencer clicked his tongue disapprovingly. "They've been trained horribly."

The Doctor brought a hand to his ear. Someone might've imagined that the motion was nothing suspicious but Spencer knew better. The ear comm was of a quite impressive, practically invisible model. "As much as I've loved this little talk, I'm afraid that we'll have to go."

Spencer sighed gloomily. "I'm under no illusions. I know that you've called for backup and when you take me away from here I won't be coming back. Or walking out of wherever you take me. Why won't you let me finish my coffee first?"

* * *

Castiel had no idea how long Scarlet's handling had lasted. To him it felt like an eternity. It was his very own, personal hell of nothing but infinite pain. Until his final breath. And Scarlet seemed to enjoy every moment of it.

Scarlet sighed, sitting to a chair directly in front of him. "You're looking at me like I'm the monster here. But to take down you and your allies… It was what I was recruited for. My duty."

"That's… what I've been doing… too…", Castiel spat. Fighting furiously to get each slurred word out. "My duty."

Scarlet's eyes flashed but she didn't say a word. Obviously they were done talking. Instead she unleashed the ropes on which he'd been hanging from the ceiling. Before he got the chance to have any ideas she was aiming a gun at his chest. Castiel knew that he had no way out of this alive.

Castiel wasn't interested in watching his own execution come to pass. Instead his eyes focused on the surveillance footage, flickering on a computer screen out of Scarlet's line of vision. He saw a team of CIA-agents closing in, finally answering to his soundless alarm. And he saw Leo. The knowledge of what was to come was enough to help him smile while a bullet pierced his chest.

* * *

Right outside the building Leo sneaked closer, his eyes quick to spot absolutely everything. All the shadows. As well as the agents who were even closer than he was. Far too many of them to be taken down alone, despite his skills. His heart forgot a couple of valuable beats.

He had a couple of options in his hands. He could just stand by and watch the agents finish up what they came for. Then, possibly, take care of them later. Or then he could use what might very well be his last moments with delivering the possibly most important words that'd ever slipped past his lips. Giving away his presence to who knows how many agents standing by.

Was there any choice, really?

Leo really, honestly didn't want to die. But if there was no other way out of this… Then at fucking least he was going to go down with no regrets. With no fear. He'd always wanted to die for a reason and this was the best one.

For a second, two, three, Leo closed his eyes. Breathed in, out, perfectly calmly. Summoned a mental image of Scarlet's smiling face. He even wasted a couple of seconds with taking off the necklace that held his wedding ring. He squeezed it tightly, his hand absolutely steady.

When he said those vows he meant them, with every single cell in his body.

Without any hesitation in his heart Leo stepped forward, revealing himself. He gazed towards the building and bellowed at the top of his lungs. "SCARLET! RUN!" His lips opened again but he never got to say those words before a bullet slammed at him.

As Leo went down the sound of Scarlet's merry laugh echoed in his ears and he would've smiled if he'd found the strength for it.

* * *

For the time being unaware of what was going on outside Scarlet watched Castiel go down. Her heart hammered madly, rejoicing over the fact that soon her quest would be over. "Funny", she remarked, watching the wound on her opponent's chest. "I was under the impression that you don't have a heart."

Castiel smirked. Blood colored his teeth red. "And… yet… you shot… right through… it…" His eyes, already dimming yet alight with something that chilled her, shifted towards the window. "… shot through… yours, too…"

Scarlet frowned, not liking his self satisfied smirk. She was about to demand answers from the dying man until something froze her entire world. Leo's frantic shout. Then a gunshot, coming from outside the building. And somehow her heart already knew.

Scarlet was deaf to the last, breathless chuckle of the dying man. She didn't hear the people screaming outside. She rushed to the window and looked down. Instantly she wished that she hadn't because what she saw crumbled what little there'd been left of her world.

At least ten CIA agents surrounded someone. The apparent threat lay on the ground in the middle of them, in a rapidly growing pool of his own blood. Gasping and blinking slowly as the light in his eyes began to die out, appearing aware of what was happening to him yet not quite knowing what to think about it just yet.

It was the first time in over two months Scarlet got to see Leo, and the very last time she'd ever see him.

Every little bit of Scarlet wanted to run to him before it was too late. To let him know that she was there, that even now he wasn't alone. To hold him, just this one more time. But fate wasn't gentle enough to grant either of them with that option.

Tears ran down Scarlet's cheeks while she stared at him. Shaking to the core of her being. Her heart, smashed to a million pieces, hammering mercilessly in her chest. She might've screamed if she'd had breath for such.

 _Please, you stubborn bastard…! Look at me_ , she pleased desperately at her dying husband. _I'm right here. You found me. So look at me, please._

But Leo didn't look towards her. Of course he didn't. A practical part of her assessed that he most likely had no idea that she was there anymore.

Slowly, torturously so, Leo's eyes glazed over. His chest, which had been shuddering rather than rising and falling steadily, stilled entirely. The ten agents stared how her husband emitted his very last exhale, none of them making a move towards the fading man.

Scarlet had seen Leo pull through from bullet holes, stab wounds and even explosions, some of which were the man's own making. And this… This was how it'd all come down? She was forced to watch him bleed out on some filthy street?

The pain was so intense that Scarlet could barely breathe. She gasped, her eyes growing misty for a mighty moment before she blinked it away. She wasn't aware of the still running tears when she turned away from the horrific sight. Turning and walking away from Leo was the last thing she wanted to do, even if he was nothing but an empty shell, now. Turning away was nearly impossible especially when she knew that he'd never forgive what she'd do next.

Scarlet heard steps, from a distance but approaching. Time was running out. And in that second she made her decision.

Still crying without knowing it she approached Castiel's sneering corpse and raised her gun. Three more bullets shattered the man's face entirely. Her mouth opened, a howl of sheer agony wanting to crawl out but never quite making it through.

She'd known that she was on the road to doom from the start but as of this moment, as of right now, she didn't care.

When a team of five CIA-agents appeared to the room half a minute later she was long gone.

On the street Leo's fist became slack and opened slowly, revealing the wedding ring to the two shocked agents who'd been left behind to handle him.

* * *

The Doctor watched how his nephew finished the coffee. He could allow Spencer that much. Emily was most likely still out cold and securely cuffed. They had a few moments.

When they prepared to leave the house Ilsa ran to the scene. There was a heartbroken look on her face. "Are you going away again?"

Spencer sighed heavily. It was impossible to recognize even half of the emotions dancing in the younger man's eyes. "I'm sorry, sweetie. You know that I'd stay with you if I could, don't you? That I'd never, ever leave you if I didn't have to."

Ilsa nodded, clearly believing him despite the tears running down her cheeks.

Ignoring the eyes watching him Spencer leaned forward and pressed a tender kiss to the top of his daughter's head. He then leaned closer and whispered something into her ear. The Doctor was far more curious than he should've been over what might've been said.

There was a car waiting for them as they stepped to the street. Such The Doctor knew better than well. They climbed in without exchanging a word. The time of talking would come later. If Spencer understood what was good for him, anyway.

They'd been driving about ten minutes until Spencer, who'd had his head down and his hands up the entire time, spoke. "Let me ask you something." There was a brief pause. "You've been hunting down me and my friends. You've threatened the lives of pretty much everyone I care about. You've threatened _my daughter_. Did you honestly imagine that I'd just let you take me away like this?"

The Doctor arched an eyebrow, wondering what, exactly, this was all about.

"The only reason I'm in this vehicle is because I want to be." Spencer finally lifted his head. There was a hazardous, almost chilling smile on the younger man's face. His hands were still up obediently. "You keep forgetting, uncle. I have friends, too."

* * *

TBC

* * *

A/N: A couple of lessons for The Doctor… Number one, pride always comes before the fall. Two, when something seems too simple it usually is. And three, never, EVER threaten the children of a devoted parent. Seriously. Just DON'T.

Awkay, then… Any good, at all? Extermination material? (Any other 'Who' fans aside me, Garcia and Reid out there?) Don't worry at all, folks, the BAU-team will appear again in the next one – it's not like they're taking a vacation! (grins) I just wanted to use a bit of line space to say goodbye to Leo properly. (sighs gloomily) I hope you don't mind too much?

It's DEFINITELY time for me to head towards my bed. (yawns) Until next time! I REALLY hope that I'll see each and every single one of you there.

Take care!


	13. The Beginning of the End

A/N: Phew! It's insanely late BUT at very least I managed an update. Hooray?

First things first, though… THANK YOU, from the bottom of my heart, for all your amazing reviews! It means A LOT that you're still there. (HUGS)

Awkay, because stalling is naughty… Let's go! I really hope that you'll enjoy the ride.

* * *

The Beginning of the End

* * *

/ _Spencer didn't find his separation from his CIA-team easy, even if he knew exactly why he left. He missed them tremendously. There were a lot of days when he felt tempted to go back to them. Only a brutal amount of common sense kept his resolve from breaking._

 _He said goodbye to that life for a number of good reasons and so far none of those reasons had changed._

 _But life was forced to move forward. And he moved on as well, the best as could. Studied. Hunted down doctorates. Tried to tell himself that he didn't miss the way his life was for a little while. Until one day that lifestyle found him once more when a man sat to his table at a café with a pleasant smile. "I'm agent Jason Gideon, with the FBI. A friend of mine has been speaking quite highly of you."_

 _Spencer gulped down a mouthful of coffee. His heart seemed to take an extra beat. "And…?"_

 _"I was wondering if you'd be interested in a job offer?"_ /

* * *

For several long moments a frosty silence lingered in the car. The two men sized up one another. One trying to read his opponent's eyes and the other revealing nothing.

"'Friends'?" The Doctor inquired at last.

Spencer nodded, checking the time. In exactly two seconds there was a report to his ear comm, delivered by a pleasantly familiar voice. " _Operation 451 a success._ "

"Copy that." Spencer took off the item, which was even smaller and more invisible than the other man's. As it should be, he designed it. "Yes, uncle. Friends. You see… There are things that you seem to disregard when it comes to my BAU-team." He leaned forward. "I work with someone who used to have a hand in highly classified Pentagon operations. And in addition she has very, very extensive connections to the media. And remember Emily Prentiss, that woman to whom you gave sedatives today? She works for Interpol. You can't even imagine how long they've been investigating your movements." Spencer smiled, purposefully revealing his teeth. "They know _everything_ about what you did in Afganistan and Sofia. And a lot of people have quite a bit of questions for you."

The Doctor's jawline tightened. Anyone would've felt chills at the look that appeared into the man's eyes. "For you, too, no doubt."

"Me?" Spencer removed the upper half of his motorcycle rider's outfit. Revealing the heavy gear of an elite SWAT-team member. "Spencer Reid is dead, remember? I'm just a nameless Interpol agent bringing in a suspect."

* * *

When Emily Prentiss first woke up her instincts told her to prepare for absolutely anything. She reached out for her gun, her groggy head reminding her a second too late that The Doctor wouldn't be careless enough to leave her with it. It took a couple of seconds before everything began to slide into place.

She'd been drinking coffee…

* * *

/ _Her hold on the mug tightened when she heard steps approaching. They were far too heavy to be Ilsa's. And soon enough she heard a eerily familiar male voice. "Hello, Emily. I thought I should finally stop by and say 'hi'." He smiled when she turned to face her. "I hope that the coffee doesn't taste strange to you? I took the liberty to sneak in my own variation…"_

 _Emily would've more than happily pulled out a gun and landed a bullet in the middle of the man's forehead. Which was made quite difficult by the fact that he was holding a radiantly grinning Ilsa in his arms. "Uncle Daniel brought a chess set!"_ /

* * *

A new set of steps, coming from the hallway, alerted Emily back to the present. She'd just managed to sit up, faster than her head would've allowed, and brace herself when a person covered completely by a black combat outfit entered. Emily was fully ready to fight until the arrival removed the head part of the outfit, letting a long, blonde ponytail fall free. There was a relieved grin on JJ's face. "You can't even imagine how happy I am to see you."

* * *

Spencer's departure wasn't easy on Ilsa. No matter how accustomed she was to him having to be away. For the first minute or so she just stood there, staring at the front door as though hoping that she'd be able to bring him back with the power of her will. Then, her tiny shoulders sagging with acceptance and defeat, she fished a deck of cards from her pocket and withdrew to a silent corner in the living room, starting to play Solitaire. She wasn't alone for long.

When steps approached she expected either Emily or Daniel. That's why her eyes flew wide when instead a man dressed in all back walked in, head covered entirely by a just as dark mask. The cards forgotten she stood up quickly and fisted her hands, prepared to fight. "Show your face!"

The adult obeyed. Revealing a very much familiar face. "Hey, Ilsa." Uncle Derek smiled at her. "What do you say if I'll take you to see Quantico?"

* * *

Upon hearing Derek's report, back at Quantico Penelope unleashed a loud, shuddering sigh of pure relief and wiped her eyes with a badly shaking hand. It was by no means over yet. But closer to that point than ever before. They were one big step closer to getting Spencer home.

It was a delicate operation, with which a million things could've gone wrong. Once Emily approached JJ via online scrabble they knew that she was in on it somehow. Along with several other Interpol agents, apparently. They'd been chasing a terrorist who went by the name The Doctor for a really long time. He was also a CIA-agent, which made things tricky. It was time to strike but if they wanted to catch someone so dangerous, someone who was closer to a myth or a fairytale monster than a real person, they needed help. That was where JJ's Pentagon connections came into good use. Together and in a great deal of secrecy the three organizations crafted a plan that could've easily gone disastrously wrong. A couple of unfortunate details already went wrong, the biggest one being The Doctor getting to Ilsa and Emily before they managed to get a hold of him.

But thankfully everything ended well. They now had a man who could deliver solid evidence against those amongst the CIA who'd been on Scarlet's infamous list. It finally felt like they might be able to win this impossible game.

" _The Doctor's under custody_ ", Emily's voice spoke out. She sounded about as relieved as Penelope felt. And exhausted.

A wide grin appeared to Penelope's face. Her heart swell with joy. "Hey!" she greeted, not bothering to hide her excitement even a little bit. "It's so good to finally hear your voice again! Are you okay?"

" _Yeah, of course._ " It felt like there was something that Emily wasn't telling her but that could wait. " _It's good to hear your voice, too. Although maybe next time I'll choose shopping over this._ " That was when something seemed to demand her attention. " _Yes, August, I'm fine. Who's with The Doctor? I thought you were supposed to ride with him._ "

" _That new guy. Bell… Something. Yeah, Joseph._ "

It took a second for it to sink in. When it did the force struck Penelope breathless. "Joseph Bell?" She remembered the events and tiny facts concerning Maeve's death all too well, they all did. It could've been a coincidence but something told her that it was just too big of one. (1)

Penelope said bye to Emily as quickly as she could. It worked rather well because Emily sounded busy. As soon as she could the analyst got to work.

There was a lot of surveillance footage from the area. Understandable enough, with how big the operation had been. Penelope's heart was racing when she began to dig through it. And then, with wide eyes, she froze the screen. "Oh my…!"

It was tough to recognize him with the dramatically different outfit and dyed hair. But she'd seen him enough times to be sure. To know without a doubt that the person stepping into a waiting car with The Doctor was Spencer.

A couple of tears of happiness and relief that she didn't even try to wipe away rolled down her cheeks. "I'll see you soon, sweetie", she murmured. "It'll finally be over."

* * *

In the meantime Alex and David looked on sadly as Leo's body was taken away. "He wasn't even armed", Alex murmured. "I suppose that he expected to get to Scarlet before the agents."

David gritted his teeth. "Honestly? I think he knew exactly what he got into. He just decided that if he wouldn't be able to bring Scarlet home nothing else mattered."

Neither of them noticed the young man who filmed them with a smart phone, catching every single one of their words and finally focusing on Leo's corpse. The young man was bound to start a chain reaction the kind that'd never been seen in the CIA. Planted a seed of change.

Because as he was filming the team that'd watched Leo died had already made it back to the base. With shocked faces and choked tones they told how one of their own fired a single bullet, took down an unarmed man. To prove their point they shoved the only thing Leo had been carrying along. His wedding ring.

A couple of more hours later the very large group of young agents that'd already heard the story encountered a YouTube video their superiors had ordered to be removed. They stared at Leo's corpse in disbelief. Far more than a couple of them remembering sparring with him and going to missions with him.

He'd been an ally, to many of them a friend. They'd been led towards believing that he and his team were monsters. Slowly, painfully, they began to realize that the true monsters were, in fact, somewhere else entirely.

* * *

While Alex and David observed outside a team of police officers swarmed inside. They watched Castiel's body with disgust and horror. "What the hell are we after?" one of them scoffed at last, his stomach twisting uncomfortably.

"You're trying to catch a serial killer with extremely profound combat training and a severe case of PTSD. She's unpredictable and dangerous." The arrival showed his badge. "I'm SSA Aaron Hotchner, FBI. The woman you're looking for…"

"A woman?" one of the officers sputtered in disbelief.

Aaron gave the interrupter a dry look. "Her name is Scarlet Moreau. She's a seasoned CIA-agent, a member of a special ops team." His eyes hardened. "If you want to arrest her without it ending to a disaster you're going to need my team's help. We're specialized in finding people like her. And I happen to know the quite certainly only people she trusts…"

* * *

In the car Spencer and The Doctor were both deep in thought. In some odd way the air around them was almost companionable. "So, Spencer…", The Doctor finally began, stretching. "Now that this is, apparently, coming to an end… What are you going to do next? Go back to your BAU-team and play a happy little family with Ilsa?"

Spencer's eyes flashed dangerously while he glared at the older man. "You know better than well that you made sure such won't be an option. There's no going back for me."

The Doctor tilted his head. "Oh mine… You sound almost emotional…", the killer murmured with what looked like genuine marvel. "They've really succeeded in domesticating you."

Spencer shook his head, looking out the window. Buildings, roads and cars flashed by, nothing really registering to him. "No", he denied, without a hint of malice or bitterness in his tone. "I just finally found a home."

They were quiet for a long time until The Doctor spoke out once more. "It's dangerous, you know. To become attached like that. To form… roots. Look at what it did to Scarlet. And Leo."

Spencer blood ran cold. His gaze turned quickly towards his uncle and sharpened hazardously. "What are you talking about?"

The Doctor arched an eyebrow. "What? No one's told you yet?" The torturer didn't seem even slightly sorry, which wasn't a surprise. "I heard just before your dramatic arrival. Leo's dead. He chose to take a bullet rather than let Scarlet be taken down." The older man wrinkled his nose. "I've never understood why people speak so highly of love. Sooner or later it always turns… messy."

Spencer snorted, fighting the tears that wanted to fill his eyes. "I'm sure that you've kept a careful eye on my life. Do you imagine that I haven't figured that out by now?"

* * *

In a small, top secret safety apartment loud bangs and even louder swear words in several languages reported Dante's advance through the far too little provided space. He'd already succeeded in destroying a chair and a trashcan and he was aiming for taking down a lot more before he'd be done. It was a much better option than focusing on the immense pain blooming in his chest. It also distracted him from noticing the tears running down his cheeks.

Leo would've snarled at him over such behavior but the larger man wasn't there, never would be again.

In another room, deaf to the chaos, Luther sat exactly as he had for the past twenty-five minutes. Absolutely still, like a statue, his face buried into his hands. One had to look carefully to notice that he was even breathing.

By the time Luther entered the room where Dante was the small man was leaning heavily against the kitchen sink, breathing hard. There was a faint reek of vomit in the room. The handler paid it no mind. "Will you be able to locate Scarlet again?"

Dante's eyes betrayed a hint of surprise when they found his. Searched and obviously found something the young man didn't like. "Yeah."

Luther nodded, feeling strangely heavy and lightheaded. "Good. Because… At this point she only has two names left on the list. And I'm planning on saving her the trouble of looking for me."

* * *

Another silence had fallen in the vehicle where Spencer and The Doctor sat. Once again it was the uncle who broke it. "What, exactly, are you planning on doing with me? We both know that Scarlet is coming after me. We also know exactly what she'd do to me. She already left me to die once. Will you be a loyal friend and give me to her? Or will you be a good, proper agent and take me into custody with all the rules followed?"

Spencer met his eyes with such a gaze that would've chilled most. "Because of you my childhood was pure hell. And partially because of you I can't have the future as Spencer Reid that I'd want. What makes you think that I'd want to be good and proper?"

The Doctor was silent for a moment. Evaluated his companion and finding himself unable to get a proper reading. "For your entire life you've always followed the rules. Done the right thing. I find it hard to believe that you would've changed so much."

Spencer's eyebrow arched. "We're both gamblers. How much would you be willing to bet on that hypothesis?"

If they hadn't been so preoccupied they might've noticed the tasteless, odorless and colorless gass that began to flood into the space they occupied. In the meantime the car's driver took a cell phone and dialed. Only to get a rather unpleasant response. " _What?_ "

He didn't let the hostility bother him. He wasn't doing this in the name of a friendship. "I have the cargo secured. Is the delivery point the one we agreed on?"

" _Yes._ "

"I was also forced to take along an Interpol agent. He's been rendered harmless as well." Checking the situation he was pleased to discovered that his two passenger's were firmly knocked out. "What do you want me to do with him?"

Scarlet Moreau considered this for a long moment. Or maybe she was distracted by something. " _Is it someone we'd know?_ "

The driver checked a one more time. "Nope. I've never seen that bloke before."

" _Then you can deal with him in whatever way you please._ " Scarlet's voice was sharper than a whip. " _Now get on with it. I'm waiting._ " With that the conversation was over.

The driver put away the phone with an ice cold, very obviously satisfied smirk on his face.

* * *

TBC

* * *

1) Remember the names Reid and Maeve used? (sighs sadly at the memories)

A/N: Oh crap, now THAT'S bad luck…! This DOES NOT look good. As far as Scarlet knows Reid's dead. And now she's unleashed this beast on him…! (gulps) Let's hope that this whole mess DOES have a happy ending! Reid, his remaining teammembers AND little Ilsa would deserve one SO BADLY.

TWO OR THREE CHAPTERS AND AN EPILOGUE TO GO, GUYS! We'll see just how twisted what's to come gets… Fingers crossed!

Until next time, ya all! I'll do my very best to update next Sunday, despite spending a large portion of the week away from my laptop. I REALLY hope that I'll see you there! Until then take care and….

HAVE HAPPY, AMAZING HOLIDAYS!


	14. The Hazards of Playing With Fire

A/N: I'm BAAAAAACK, and I DID manage a Sunday update! (BEAMS) We'll see just how much madness there's ahead of us…

FIRST, though…! TONS of thank yous for all your reviews, listings, love and support. I can't believe that you've all been sticking around all this time! It means more than you could ever imagine.

Awkay, before I get all sappy… Let's go! I really hope that you'll enjoy the ride. Prepare yourself for some turbulence…

 **TRIGGER WARNINGS** for mentions of child abuse and drug use.

* * *

The Hazards of Playing With Fire

* * *

/ _It was a public secret that Spencer wasn't exactly doing well after Tobias Hankel. One evening he stumbled home, still very much high, to discover that there was someone waiting for him. A woman sat on his couch as though she belonged there, flipping through one of his books. His eyes narrowed. "You're a CIA, aren't you?"_

 _The intruder appeared surprised but only for a moment. She gave him a fake smile. "I'm Laurel…"_

 _"I don't care", Spencer interrupted instantly. It took a considerable amount of self control to keep himself from throwing her out bodily. "Whatever case you have… I'm not interested."_

 _Laurel's eyebrow bounced up. "Oh, really?" She pushed something towards him. Dilaudid. "Because you have just the right kind of weakness for this little hunt." Her eyes flashed when she obviously knew that she had him. "I'm giving you the permission to be what you're best at."_

 _They both expected a disaster, neither expected that the mission would lead to Spencer becoming a father._ /

* * *

Spencer's return to consciousness wasn't a painless one. His back and arms felt like they were on fire and chopped to pieces all at once. His head also expressed obvious dislike towards whatever the hell happened to him.

What _did_ happen to him?

Unwilling to let whoever was watching know that he was awake he held still and listened, even if hiding the agony was far from easy. He wasn't alone. There were two more people in the room. One of them was humming a soft, eerily beautiful melody and the other breathing raggedly. By the sounds of it Spencer suspected a punctured lung and almost felt like wincing with sympathy.

Spencer then moved on to catalogue his own injuries. As much as his head hurt he was fairly certain that he didn't have a concussion. But at least three of his ribs were cracked, possibly broken. And the pain in his back and arms… He was hanging from something and had a vague feeling that if he found out what it was he wouldn't like it.

Spencer was led back to his first question. The last thing he remembered was being in a car with The Doctor. Clearly they never made it to their original destination. So what happened? The CIA? No, he'd be dead already. Did some other old friends decide to do catching up? He had an annoying amount of those. A couple of them were smart enough to possibly figure out that he was alive.

"Wakey, wakey." He was almost certain that he'd never heard that male voice before. He was able to detect a clearly audible Russian accent. "My other playmate is getting dull. And I'm pretty sure that you wouldn't like me bored."

Slowly, with every little bit of stubbornness he had, Spencer forced his eyes open. It took a moment before his vision cleared enough to let him see his unwanted host. Shortcut, bleached hair. A pair of ice blue eyes. The man was tall and muscular, towered at least a head's worth above his height even if Spencer's feet weren't touching the ground. A scar traveled down the stranger's face, from the tip of his right ear all the way to his mouth. The man seemed to have been torn from some really bad action movie from the 80's.

As though the man had read his thoughts those hazardous eyes narrowed. A low, loudly speaking growl could be heard. "You're not uncomfortable enough yet, then? Don't worry. We can easily change that."

The kick was so swift that Spencer had no hope of seeing it coming. All of a sudden his stomach was on fire and if he'd been able to open his mouth he would've groaned. For a few moments black spots danced in his line of vision. The punch followed almost immediately after, something metallic covering the fist making his cheek bone bend and crack. Spencer's head jerked sharply to the side, rousing an immediate protest from his neck. For a second, two, the world spun.

It took all of Spencer's willpower to not black out. Instead he turned his gaze towards the attacker, his eyes and blood burning. No way he was going down this easily.

The attacker gritted his teeth. Obviously unimpressed by his defiance. "You didn't have enough yet, huh?" The attacker nodded to himself. "Alright, that's good. I haven't had enough yet, either."

Spencer waited until the other was exactly two steps closer. Then reacted at a lightning's speed, headbutting his tormentor so hard that he, too, saw stars for a few seconds. Without giving his opponent the chance to recover Spencer kicked with every bit of strength he had, sending the large man down.

The attacker swore loudly and colorfully, a trail of blood seeping from his nose. "You little…! Someone needs to teach you manners."

Spencer couldn't have seen it coming. Faster than he blinked large, unforgiving hands wrapped around his neck, squeezing tightly. With such force that there was no point in even trying to breathe.

Spencer wiggled stubbornly, attempted to kick. But he just didn't have the strength for it anymore. Nor did he have a lot of breath left. Little by little the world around him began to grow darker.

So far on his way to unconsciousness he was that he didn't hear the door opening. He barely even heard to much too familiar female voice that barked in Russian. " _Jackal, enough._ "

The man growled, revealing a row of yellow tinged teeth. " _I thought you said that I can do whatever I please with him. Right now I want to squeeze him to death._ " The attacker's hands loosened just a little bit, though, enough to allow Spencer some precious fresh air, then let go.

Scarlet's eyes smouldered in a way that made her look like a stranger in Spencer's eyes. He hadn't even noticed that The Doctor was hanging from hooks on the other side of the room until Scarlet was already holding a knife and approached. There were already at least four arrows sticking from the man. When Scarlet was done there were six stab wounds on him. Quite obviously he wouldn't live for much longer.

Spencer stared with wide, disbelieving eyes. Not really managing to comprehend what he was seeing. That man… He'd been like a fairytale monster coming to life for him for such a long time. And now… He was gone? Just like this? It was surreal and anticlimatic.

A million unpleasant memories flooded through Spencer's head while he stared at The Doctor, his heart racing as he watched his uncle's painful final moments.

* * *

/ _His very own uncle torturing him and Scarlet. Even if it wasn't until a little later he actually recognized the man. Those emotionless eyes looking at him, their owner fully ready to kill him._ /

* * *

A horrible, wet sound crawled through The Doctor's throat. Despite being practically unconscious the man wiggled, clearly sensing what was inevitably approaching. Even if there wasn't something blocking his mouth Spencer wouldn't have been able to utter a sound.

* * *

/ _It didn't make any sense to Spencer. Sitting there in a tiny, filthy motel room. Injured and in pain, still a little high. Covered in his own blood and that of the mother of the child in his arms. The baby wasn't crying miserably. In fact she seemed perfectly at peace in her daddy's arms, as though the horrors around them didn't exist. As though she hadn't already lost her mother._

 _Insanity, all of it._

 _"Spence?" Scarlet was holding a firearm while entering the room. If what she faced appalled her she didn't let it show. "We need to go, now."_

 _Spencer blinked twice. In a shock, high and utterly overwhelmed. "How…?" How did she even know to be there? This was a solo mission…_

 _Scarlet's eyes darkened. "Luther watched over his own for once." She looked at the child, clearly to make sure that the baby was alright. "Now let's move it. I know a place to go. But we'll have to hide the kid."_

 _It was very fortunate that the baby girl decided to sleep through the whole ordeal. Gently and protectively they placed her to a huge bag that'd been softened by two towels. Then, trying desperately not to look at the horrors around them, Spencer allowed Scarlet to help him up. He didn't protest when she wrapped an arm around him._

 _They left swiftly and soundlessly, passing by a receptionist who was fast asleep. There was a car waiting for them outside. They entered it without exchanging a word, both deep in thought. Just before Scarlet started the vehicle Spencer felt the hair in the back of his neck stand up. It was a sure sign of a fast approaching threat. He turned his head quickly to see a man watching them from the other side of the street. As something like recognition dawned his pulse sped up in a way that had nothing to do with the drugs in his system._

Uncle Daniel…? But… No, it's…

 _"Spencer?" Scarlet had a worried frown on her face. "What's going on?"_

 _Spencer shook his head. At least it wasn't spinning so badly anymore. "I… thought I saw someone. Must be the shock playing tricks on me."_

 _Scarlet seemed to take his gut feeling very seriously. She glanced towards the direction he'd been staring at but saw no one. "Why do you think so?"_

 _"Because the guy I thought I saw died when I was six."_ /

* * *

Daniel Reid was definitely dying now. The man was barely breathing. There was already a glazed over look in his eyes. Spencer had seen it all a sickening amount of times. This was a closure in the most horrifying way. The end of what felt like nothing but a nightmare. As his uncle pulled in his last breaths Spencer remembered entirely too vividly how it all began.

* * *

/ _Despite being a very young child Spencer was a genius. He understood that his mom was very, very badly ill. That October, when he was four and a half years old, his mom hit a very rough patch. He listened with terror how his parents screamed at each other, unable to understand most of what was being said. And then his father came in to announce that he'd have to take his mom to a hospital. That she'd be fine but needed help. In the meantime uncle Daniel, his father's brother, would be there to keep an eye on Spencer._

 _Spencer had never been very good at getting along with people. He'd even seen several doctors about it, heard adults whispering and wondering if he 'had that same thing his mother had', whatever that might mean. The second he and Daniel met eyes every single alarm bell went off in Spencer's head. Even if the man greeted him with a wide smile. "We'll have a good time together. Won't we, Spencer?"_

 _Daniel certainly had his good time. The man was careful to avoid leaving marks of his night-time visits to Spencer's room. It didn't make the damage any less real._

 _Spencer began wetting his bed again. Reverted even deeper into his own world. Once, just once, he tried to tell his father what was happening. He was rewarded for the deed that required all his courage with a slap at his face. "My brother is doing his best to help us, Spencer! Don't you dare spread those lies about him!"_

 _It was the last time Spencer ever shared anything with his father._ /

* * *

Daniel Reid, The Doctor, was gone. Hanging limply from the hooks, chin fallen to rest on his chest. Eyes closed, not breathing. _Gone_. Which left Spencer with just Scarlet and the mystery man who dragged him to this new chapter of his very much real nightmare.

His eyes met Scarlet's. He couldn't recognize the young woman he once met through the sea of unbearable grief, bitterness and rage. Immense sadness squeezed around his heart, brought a hint of moisture to his eyes. They'd fought so very hard. Still they'd lost Gabriel. And Leo. And now… Now they'd lost her, too, in a very different way but definitely not less painfully.

Scarlet had always been dangerous but this marked the first time he feared her.

* * *

Leo was supposed to be buried quickly and quietly. Without any unnecessary fuss. Forgotten and pushed aside. Just another terrible mistake who'd never be mentioned again, a brutal mark in files that no one would ever see.

But this time the luck of those guarding all the dangerous secrets ran out. Because they miscalculated the element of human emotions. They disregarded the fact that Leo had people he'd managed to touch and their arrogance was their downfall.

Laurel Gibson was in her twenties when she first joined the CIA. Since then she was promoted time and time again, because she was the kind of a woman who didn't hesitate to do her duty. Who wasn't afraid of getting her hands dirty. By the time she was fify-six, the famous silver haired and coal eyed leader whom everyone knew but few had seen, she was at the highest spot of authority and knew enough secrets for ten lifetimes. She was so high up in the CIA command-chain that she didn't even make it to Scarlet's list. She also had far more lost lives weighing her conscience than any serial killer.

Laurel watched with hard, emotionless eyes as Leo's memorial service proceeded. She knew that allowing such to be arranged involved risks. But the temptation to see if Leo's teammembers might appear… It outweighed cold reason in her head. She should've realized that there was more than remains of that team to watch out for.

It took longer than it should've before she understood what was happening. By the time she did see it there was nothing she could do to stop the train wreck. Her eyes widened marginally.

It looked like the entire available CIA-division was there. Including the team that ended up taking Leo's life. Every single one of them was carrying a candle, bringing sparks of light into the shadowy space. Slowly yet inevitably a sea of lights surrounded Leo's picture, lighting up the room and the sombre people gathered inside. Some of them looked like they were seeing the light for the very first time, in far more ways than one. It was the dangerous kind of enlightenment, such that had the potential to cause a lot of damage. Laurel had feared, if not expected, as much.

She was about to signal the three of her men watching to bring an end to it until she saw something that told her it was already too late. Because just then Leo's sister Annie stood before the crowd, her brown eyes shining from tears and determination. "I… I lost my brother. I was told that he died on a mission, but…" Annie wiped her eyes. "But we've all seen the video online. We all know what really happened." Her voice broke badly but she went on courageously. "My brother was the kind of a boy who protected his sister from bullies. Who stood up for what he felt was right. The kind of a man who would've given his life for those he loved. And… That you all came here today, tells me that you knew that same man." She raised the candle high up, the light making her tears shine like diamonds. "We can't let them twist his memory into something awful! We can't let them erase what he was and get away with it! Leo and those like him… We're not going to forget about them!"

The crowd cheered in a response. And one by one more candles rose. Like stars lighting up the night sky. Raging a war and demanding justice far louder than any words could've.

Laurel left the scene without a sound, never having been one to make a scene of herself. Already then she knew that she was done for. When her body was found a day later it was declared a suicide. No one cared enough to ensure whether that was true or not.

* * *

Scarlet had hardened herself to a lot of things. Considering the path she'd been pushed on it was a necessity in order to preserve her sanity. But she wasn't quite heartless enough to be completely unaffected by the outcome of her actions.

As soon as she was done with The Doctor her attention shifted towards the other problem Jackal had been forced to drag in. The man had been beaten practically to a point past idenfication. The fact that he was hanging from the ceiling by what looked like metallic hooks and had his mouth sewn closed enforced the quite heartbreaking sight.

Scarlet wrinkled her nose. " _You've been toying with him, then?_ " She looked from the battered man to Jackal, who was still nursing a bleeding nose. Her eyebrow arched. " _Did you have fun?_ " She didn't even try to hide her sarcasm.

Jackal gave her a dry look. " _What the fuck does it look like?_ " The man spat out blood. " _I hate it when they bite back._ "

Scarlet composed herself for a second before speaking any further. With someone like Jackal showing even a hint of weakness would've been a certain pathway to a disaster. " _Do you have any idea who he is?_ "

" _His ID said Joseph Bell._ " Jackal was already putting on his maroon leather coat, obviously preparing to leave. " _He works for Interpol. Or did, anyway._ "

Scarlet observed the man's actions. One of her hands was held on to the gun hidden in the covers of her clothes. " _Leaving so soon?_ "

" _You don't pay me enough to convince me to help clean up the mess._ " With an absentminded wave of a hand Jackal headed towards the door. " _If you ever need help like this again call me. It was a lot of fun. The broken nose excluded._ " The door banged like the hammer of a judge after him.

* * *

The remaining BAU-team, along with Emily, watched intently as a news reporter delivered an explanation of a wide reaching investigation concerning the actions of several CIA-officials. Whoever called the shots that led to the disaster, to the deaths of Leo and so many other agents, failed to do their background research properly.

Leo was the son of a extremely powerful politician. Someone who's death couldn't be just swept under the carpet. His parents were determined to make sure that if their son had to die in such a horrible way, at least he hadn't died in vain.

CIA's house of smoke and mirrors was crumbling down, loudly and spectacularly.

Ilsa watched in a silence how the team lit up a candle. Paid their respects to a man they didn't get the chance to know even nearly as well as they would've wanted to. She clung to Derek a little tighter, staring at the flame with very serious eyes. "Is that for uncle Leo?" she asked quietly.

It took a moment before the adults knew how to respond. "Yeah, sweetie", Penelope confirmed at last, wiping her eyes. "It's a sign that he hasn't been forgotten."

Ilsa nodded, processing those words and deciding that she liked the idea. She, however, absolutely hated the fact that one of her favorite people in the world was gone and would never come back to her with puzzles and incredible stories. She wiped away tears with a shaking hand. "I miss him", she murmured, with such childlike honesty and innocence that it would've shattered anyone's heart. She had to fight to get the next words out. "I… I miss daddy, too."

JJ's eyes didn't seem entirely dry while the agent sighed. Even tried to smile although it didn't come out right. "We all do. But he'll be back soon."

Derek ruffled Ilsa's hair. She leaned against his touch, savouring the comfort it brought. "I hope so", she sighed. Sounding far too old for her age. "Because… I don't want a candle for him, too."

* * *

Scarlet didn't bother casting a single glance more towards The Doctor. The bastard was very much dead, she'd been throughout enough to ensure that. As it was her attention locked on the still existing problem.

She sighed, looking at the injured Interpol agent. "I'm so sorry that you got involved. But sometimes collateral damage can't be avoided. I'm sure you understand."

There was a great deal of grief in his eyes. No fear, pain or even hatred. Just bottomless sadness, apparently for her sake. It bothered her a lot more than it should've.

Deciding to stop wasting time Scarlet looked at the five arrows sticking from the prisoner's torso. Jackal had been eager and creative with his favorite weapon, then. It'd be a miracle if this poor guy would survive. Surely she had the time for a one more act of kindness?

With slow, almost hesitant steps Scarlet approached. She lay her hand on one of the arrows. If she'd just pull if off the man would bleed out very quickly. Her eyes felt oddly moist although she couldn't explain it when she looked up, meeting his gaze. "It'll be over soon", she promised quietly. "And it'll be quick."

She was just about to pull off the arrow when she noticed something that stilled absolutely all of her. A few tears were running down the man's cheeks. As she stared she finally saw. A slightly chipped, colored contact lense revealed a hint of the prisoner's actual hazel eyes. Scarlet's own eyes began to widen while she reached out a far from steady hand, taking off the contact lenses entirely. What became revealed made the bottom drop from her world. Froze blood into her veins. If she wasn't in a state of shock she would've surely screamed.

She was staring into the eyes of Spencer Reid. Into the eyes of a friend she'd imagined lost. And now…

 _No, no, no, NO…!_

Scarlet stared. Took in the grief and agony in his eyes. All of a sudden her knees felt so weak that it was a miracle she could still stand. She felt sick to her stomach, so utterly defeated that it quite nearly crushed her from the inside. She was completely oblivious to the tears running down her own cheeks.

The silence between them was deafening.

* * *

TBC

* * *

A/N: That… was harder to type than I'd expected…! MY GOSH, poor Reid! And poor Scarlet too, I suppose. This is NOT going to be pretty… Let's just hope that little Ilsa won't have to light a candle for her daddy soon… (shudders)

Thoughts? Comments? Threats? Kind words, even? PLEASE, do leave a note to let me know! We're almost at the beginning of this mad ride so it'd be AWESOME to hear from you.

 **TWO MORE CHAPTERS AND AN EPILOGUE TO GO.**

Until next time, folks! I REALLY hope that I'll see ya there. Until then, take care! And of course…

HAVE A FANTASTIC NEW YEAR, YOU ALL!


	15. Into Darkness

A/N: First of all, I'm SO SORRY that it's been ages! (winces) This is the third day on which I've been working on this chapter and only today's it's actually agreed to be typed. Talking about a problem child…! BUT, finally it's here.

First though… **EXCITING NEWS**! I've received nominations for the Profilers Choice Awards 2015! I've been nomited for the overall best author (which is BEYOND amazing and flattering!) and my story 'The Case of Three Brothers' has been nomited for best crossover. Whoever nomited me, thank you! It means more than you could ever imagine. As far as I've understood the poll opens on January 17th. It'd be marvelous if you'd vote, obviously. And do check out the other nominess as well.

Now, of course… THANK YOU, so much, for all your reviews and love for this story! If it wasn't for you this story would've never come back to life. You do know that, don't you? So thank you!

Awkay, because you're probably getting tired of my babbling by now… Let's go! I really hope that you'll enjoy the ride.

* * *

Into Darkness

* * *

/ _Spencer had no idea what he was doing or what he was supposed to do. He was a drug addict with a horrible case of PTSD who'd most likely be fired from the FBI soon enough. And now, all of a sudden he was also a father. The father of a baby whose mother he'd been forced to kill. He had a daughter who looked at him with big eyes that were incredibly full of trust and love._

 _Spencer gulped and subconsciously tightened his hold on the little one. She responded with grabbing his finger and squeezing impossibly hard. "We… We're in a lot of trouble, sweetie", he murmured._

 _She either agreed or just liked his voice because she emitted a sound of delight before resuming to listening intently. Was someone of her age supposed to be capable of such concentration? It was frustrating how little he knew about babies._

 _Spencer sighed, leaning against the motel room's bed and trying to think past the reek that assaulted his nose. "I won't lie to you._ _I…_ _I'm going to… screw up badly. A lot. And… I can't be in your life like I'd want to be. Because there are people who can never, ever find you._ _So… I have to be away, a lot._ _Some day you may hate me for it." He freed one of his hands gently to wipe his eyes. "But remember that I'm doing it all for you. That a single day won't pass by without me thinking about you, missing you. Because you're the best thing that's ever and will ever happen to me. Whatever comes next don't ever forget that."_

 _The baby, whom he decided in that very moment to name Ilsa, produced a loud, chirping sound, her hold on his finger tightening._

 _An hour Scarlet arrived. The journey to her mother's farm was a solemn one. Saying goodbye to his daughter, no matter how temporarily, was even more so. Spencer never used drugs again._ /

* * *

Spencer was barely conscious anymore. Perhaps barely alive anymore. He preferred not knowing for sure. Through a lot of blur he was able to distinguish Scarlet standing in front of him. He must've passed out at some point because his latest memory trace was of them staring at each other and now she was talking to her phone. She looked scared and nauseous. He didn't remember if he'd ever seen her scared before. Perhaps once.

"Lettie…?"

Was that even audible? She ended the phone call abruptly and all of a sudden there was a cool, slightly damp hand pressed against his cheek. "Spencer." Her voice echoed uncomfortably in his head. "… ambulance … hang on … be alright …"

Spencer couldn't comprehend her anymore, even the words he thought he heard. He knew that he was going into a shock. That piece of information lingered somewhere in the back of his head, within his grasp yet impossibly far away.

At the moment all he managed to focus on was that she was leaving, that she had to be leaving, and he needed to stop her. Why, he didn't quite understand. But it felt important, gave him something to hang on to while the inferno of agony began to swallow him up in whole.

Making her stay was a matter of life and death.

Spencer opened his eyes and wondered, very vaguely, when he'd closed them. In a more coherent state of mind he might've been surprised. He blinked sluggishly, staring at the ceiling.

He'd been lowered down, then.

The very next second Scarlet loomed above him. The room's little light illuminated her, giving her a bizarre glow. A crimson angel. He couldn't stop staring at the tears shining on her face.

Spencer groaned, or at least thought he did. He didn't like the taste of blood rising to his mouth. His body arched from his furious attempts to get up, to move. "D… on't."

Scarlet leaned a little closer. Warm droplets fell on his face. "What you said, at Maeve's funeral… It's true." A small, tender kiss was placed to his forehead. "But maybe not for you. So hang in there, Professor. For Ilsa."

Spencer might've imagined all of those words, of course. Logically he shouldn't have been able to hear them. But his head refused to process that thought very far. Refused to process anything, really.

Spencer really tried to stay awake. At some point he'd grabbed a nearly desperate hold of her hand. He couldn't tell when the contact broke but all of a sudden he was left with _nothing_. He fell into a pitch black, empty void.

* * *

Despite things looking up for once the BAU-team knew that the whole mess was still far from over. They didn't dare to sigh in relief. And twenty short minutes after they'd managed to coax Ilsa into going to sleep JJ received a text message that froze blood into her veins.

' _ICARUS_ '

The whole team participating to the project had envisioned a massive number of possible outcomes. Some of them had been more favourable than others. With something this hazardous is was a necessity. She remembered this one entirely too well.

She'd just been in the break room with Aaron to get some coffee. He frowned the second he saw the look on her face. "What's wrong?"

JJ swallowed and ran a hand through her hair. "The Doctor… He's dead."

In a second the way Aaron's eyes darkened revealed that he understood the full gravity of the situation. His jaw tightened. "Any word from Reid?"

JJ shook her head grimly. Her chest felt uncomfortably tight. "Not since those two ended up into the same car."

"Scarlet must've found them", Aaron concluded solemnly. It was impossible to believe that Spencer would've chosen such a path of violent revenge. It was also painfully clear that to Scarlet Spencer had been dead and the supposed stranger accompanying The Doctor might not be much more than collateral damage.

JJ's eyes flashed, full of terror and something far beyond determination. "I'm getting us a location. Screw keeping it all a secret. We need to get there, right now."

* * *

Dante didn't like where he was taking Luther even one bit. He frowned, something twisting uncomfortably in his stomach. "So… You're absolutely sure that she's here?"

Luther nodded. The handler appeared far too calm. "She may have removed her tracking chip a long time ago. But you heard the CIA-intel as well as I did. I'm the only name left on her list." The man's eyes darkened. "She'd want someplace special."

Dante looked at the old movie theater in front of their vehicle. His eyebrow bounced up. "And this is it?" Well, it sort of made sense. He knew that both Luther and Scarlet were big fans of old movies. But still… "Clichéd."

Luther rolled his eyes. "Always a critic." When the older man moved to leave the car he twitched to follow. "No. You're staying right there."

Dante frowned. "What the hell are you talking about? The fuck I'm staying!"

The look in Luther's eyes chilled him. "Yes, you are." A gun was pointed at him by an untrembling hand. "You're the only one of us they didn't manage to shatter. No matter how hard they tried. Get as far away from all this as you can before they try again." With those rather ominous words the weapon was fired. And a tiny, seemingly harmless dart found its way to Dante's shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Dante. About everything."

Dante attempted to rip off the offending item but before he ever managed to his fingers began to grow numb. The whole world seemed to be falling away. Drowsy and practically unconscious already he lifted his head, too out of it to realize that his eyes weren't only misty from the drug. The last thing he saw before darkness came was Luther's distancing silhouette disappearing from view.

* * *

Spencer wasn't really conscious. Or didn't think he was, anyway. There were hands working on him and each brush brought even more agony. He wanted to chase them away but couldn't bring himself to move. He barely managed to decide whether it was all real or not.

All of a sudden something he recognized much too well pierced his skin. A needle. It took longer than it should've before he realized that the pathetic whimper of protest came from him.

"Hey, easy." Had he heard that soft and kind female voice before…? "We're only trying to help you. I promise. Try to relax, alright? We've got you."

Spencer wanted to relax. Wanted to drift out because it would've been so much more bearable than the pain gnawing at him. But he couldn't just yet. There were still people at stake. Lives at stake, perhaps. He had to… Needed to…

Flashes of both his teams flooded through his mind, renewing his resolve.

Slowly, stubbornly, Spencer managed to open his eyes a crack. There were several figures looming above him, faces that he couldn't focus on properly. The light assaulting his vision was almost unbearable. Still he refused to close his eyes. "'rgan", he rasped. Was that really his voice? _Unimportant_ , he decided promptly. "Derek Morgan…" Much, much better. "FBI… BAU…" Would they understand the urgency? What he was trying to say?

One of the figures, who carried a distinct scent of vanilla, shifted closer. "It's alright. We've already contacted the police. Just worry about looking after yourself, alright?"

Spencer shook his head the best as he could, which was miserably little. Frustration threatened to halt the little breath he still had. "No… BAU…"

Little did Spencer know that one of the people around him understood him perfectly well. Or perhaps rather perfectly and not at all. The doctor who'd just administrated some more pain medication tensed up and gasped barely audibly.

The nurse who'd been focused on calming down the patient turned her head. "Dr. Hayes? What is it?"

Dr. Savannah Hayes swallowed hard. "I… I think I have to make a phone call." She inspected the John Doe's vitals and frowned, dread swelling in her stomach. "Call Solomon again. Explain to him, with more diplomacy than I would, that this patient needs that surgery urgently."

Savannah preferred not guessing why the nurse blushed the way she did while nodding.

Spencer, of course, was unaware of all the drama around him. He'd fought a remarkably brave battle but even he could only continue for so long. And slowly yet steadily he was losing.

While his vitals continued their eerie, subtle route for the worse the darkness wrapped around him once more.

* * *

Luther didn't go to the movie theater. Instead he made his way swiftly through a small park that led to a long since closed music school. If he listened carefully he could already hear soft, alluring violin music floating through the air.

Beethoven's sixth.

A very much unwanted flashback filled his head. His eyes narrowed against the emotions and the harsh wind assaulting them. No matter how hard he swallowed the bitter taste refused to disappear from his mouth.

He still remembered Scarlet's eyes, first full of fear at the realization that he knew her hacker identity, then with cautious relief when he announced that a jail sentence wasn't her only option. She was playing a violin when he first met her on that cold, snowy day. It was Beethoven back then, too. Both their favorite.

The music just reached its highest peak as he entered. Without a doubt an intentional decision. Surely she knew him well enough to know exactly when he'd arrive. His steps were slow but free of any hesitation as he made his way further into the building, finally entering the exact room in which they first met a lifetime ago.

This time Scarlet wasn't playing, instead the music came from a CD-player. She sat on the floor, leaning heavily against the wall. Her arms were wrapped firmly around her legs and her hands were covered in blood. Luther didn't think he'd ever seen anyone look quite so exhausted. He could tell that she'd been crying but at the moment her eyes were dry, almost soulless. Her gaze was fixed on the window, at the moonlight outside.

Scarlet never looked his way but of course she'd noticed him. "Sit down. I want us to have a little talk."

Luther did as he'd been told, well trained to obedience by the CIA. It didn't slip his attention that it was the same chair he chose during their first meeting. He still remembered that heart engraving on the right arm rest. Scarlet stared at it, back then, when his nearly emotionless words tore her world to pieces.

"There's one question that I want to ask you. For your own sake I hope that you'll answer honestly." There was a pitch black fire in Scarlet's eyes. Such there was no recovering from. "Were we nothing but assets to you, too?"

Luther sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping. At that very moment he felt old beyond his years. "Would you believe anything that I say to you anymore?"

"No", Scarlet admitted quietly. She folded a little more tightly into herself, unable to restrain a wince when her hand brushed her leg. Her whole, tiny frame was trembling and in that moment she appeared just as young and innocent as the girl he recruited. Only a child. "You… You dragged us into this war that we had no hope of winning. Leo… Gabe…" Tears shone in her eyes but none of them spilled yet. "Spence… He was only sixteen when you found him. Did you know that? Did you ever bother to find out?"

Luther gritted his teeth against the stab that crossed him. "Yes", he admitted. "I had my suspicions."

Scarlet wiped her face hard, leaving smudges of blood that looked like a macabre war paint. "You lured us in, making us believe that you were a savior. That we… That we owed you, for helping us avoid something far worse." She met his eyes, letting him see every bit of her shattered, hardened heart. "You should've just let us rot in jail." She was breathing hard, then bellowed at the top of her lungs. "YOU DRAGGED US INTO HELL!"

Luther stared. His own heart breaking but his eyes miraculously dry. "I know", he murmured. And he regretted it, with every cell in his body. Would regret it until his dying breath. "And for that I'm…"

Obviously Scarlet wasn't planning on listening to his apology. Faster than he could've ever seen it coming she took a gun and fired, just once. The bullet sunk into his abdominal area, tearing through tissue with hellfire. It was the first and last time he'd ever see her cry. "So am I", she admitted, her voice breaking.

* * *

Upon leaving Aaron and JJ asked Derek and Penelope to look after Ilsa. The two of them seemed to be the ones she trusted the most. Had they been a little less preoccupied they might've noticed that there was something horribly wrong with looks on the faces of the departing duo.

Ilsa was asleep in Derek's arms, clinging to him almost desperately. He held back and gritted his teeth, unable to keep his thoughts from whirring a million miles per hour. None of the mental images that floated to his head was pleasant.

Penelope, who was sitting beside him and holding a mug of coffee unnaturally tightly, had been unnervingly quiet for a very long time. When she finally spoke her voice didn't sound right. "It's all over soon, right?" She looked at him with almost pleading eyes. "It's been forever since this nightmare began. I want our baby genius back home."

Derek gave her a small kiss to the side of her head. "So do I. And he'll be home before we know it." Which one of them was he trying to convince? "Pretty boy wouldn't leave his little girl."

Derek's phone was on a silent mode to ensure that Ilsa would get some proper rest. That's why they didn't notice the ten missed phone calls. They were all from Savannah.

* * *

Scarlet knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that her shot had been fatal. It'd been her intention from the start. But that, of course, didn't stop her from feeling a tremor of guilt and agony while memories came flooding in.

Not all of it had been bad and dark. They were a family, once. Leo and Gabriel… They'd never, ever forgive her for this.

She was able to watch until Luther began to fall from the chair. Ignoring the surge of lava hot ache that spread from her leg she stood up and made it to him just before he would've collided with the floor. Despite everything his arms wrapped around her gently, warm and full of trust. She buried her face into his shoulder, all too aware of the treacherous tears.

It took a mighty while before either of them managed to utter a thing. When Luther finally did his voice was barely audible. "'Didn't expect… to walk out alive… anyway."

Scarlet's hold on him tightened without her even noticing. Her jaw hurt from how hard she gritted her teeth together. "Then why the hell did you come?" she snarled hoarsely.

It took long before Luther replied. For a while she imagined that he was already gone. Finally the whispered words floated to her ears, much too loud and clear. "To set you free."

At first Scarlet imagined that it was her trembling until she realized that it was the handler instead. Luther was trembling miserably from pain in her arms, suffering silently on his long, horrific journey to death. Her first shot had been meant to hurt as much as humanly possible. Her second one… It would be something far kinder.

Scarlet's hand was far from steady while she took her gun again and pressed it against Luther's head. He didn't gasp or twitch. Somehow the continued trust made what she'd have to do that much harder.

Scarlet swallowed thickly. For what they both knew to be the last time their eyes met. "See you", she murmured, far more gently than she would've imagined possible.

Luther smiled. It didn't look right with the trail of blood trickling from his mouth. "See you."

Scarlet fired the gun before he had the time to blink again.

Scarlet wondered how much time had already passed by while she sat there, Luther's limp body in her arms and the much taller man's head under her chin. Her hold was almost protective as she began to hum softly, silent tears rolling down her cheeks. She was in no hurry to get anywhere anymore.

Luther wasn't the only one who never planned to leave the building alive.

* * *

Unlike most people Dante didn't stop or run the other way when he saw and heard the explosion. Instead he hurried on, his eyes wide with something close to despair. What he found froze him to the spot. The entire music school had been destroyed.

He didn't scream or fall to his knees. He didn't even cry. Instead he stood paralyzed, staring with wide and wild eyes. Waiting.

He was still there when the firemen and paramedics came fifteen minutes later. He was still there an hour later when Emily and David arrived, alerted by the message he sent as soon as he regained consciousness. He refused to leave.

Refused to stop waiting.

* * *

Dr. Harry Solomon had been the head of surgery for two years. Before that he'd been a doctor for fifteen years. Yet never in his life had he seen the kind of a fight over survival he did then.

The arrows… The internal injuries… His patient should've been dead a long time ago. Yet somehow the man continued to hang on, clung stubbornly to life. He wondered how long that fight could possibly continue. It seemed that his patient, tough and stubborn as the man was, began to meet his limit. Over the span of two hours they'd lost him twice and they seemed to be headed steadily towards number three.

Dr. Solomon groaned. He'd always hated failure more than anything and losing a patient like this… "C'mon…", he muttered heatedly. "I'm trying to help you out here. Stop making it so fucking hard on me."

The patient did limp onwards, most likely the best as he could. But it just wasn't enough. The vitals that hadn't stopped being unstable since he was admitted began to slide downhill again.

"Where the hell is that bleeding spot?"

No one in the room paid any attention to the song playing, 'Sleep walk' by Santo and Johnny. (1)

Inside his shutting down mind Spencer's eyes opened, this time effortlessly. What he found brought an incredibly beautiful, most certainly loving smile to his lips. Stood there, looking at him with a similar expression, was Maeve Donovan.

* * *

TBC

* * *

1) The song to which Reid and Maeve danced in Reid's dream. (pouts and wipes a tear) Sorry, got something in my eye…

* * *

A/N: Oh dang… You know, I've had the ending of this chapter – about Reid, Luther and Scarlet – planned out from the beginning. Which didn't make actually typing it any easier. But here's the question. Is Reid going to get a happy ending, and if he is in this life or the next…?

Soooo, was that worth the wait, at all? Comments? Threats…? Do let me know!

ONLY A ONE MORE CHAPTER AND AN EPILOGUE TO GO!

Until next time, folks! I REALLY hope that I'll see you all there.

Take care!

* * *

Patricia: Welcome back! (hugs) The same could be said about me, too, heh.

I'm SO HAPPY that you've enjoyed the ride thus far! There sure has been a lot of heartbreak already, and we'll see how much more there's to come… Those poor things!

Colossal thank yous for the review!


	16. It Ends With Ashes and Dust

A/N: Phew! I'm SO SORRY about the delay. Even though I've known from the start that this would be exactly how the story ends actually getting it to agree being typed… (groans) BUT, nonetheless, here I am! Hooray?

THANK YOU, a million times, for your reviews, listings and support! Especially now that the story's ending they're a mighty boost of inspiration for taking the final steps. (HUGS)

Now, because I've made you wait too long and it's REALLY late around here… Let's go! I really hope that you'll enoy the ride.

* * *

It Ends With Ashes and Dust

* * *

/ _Spencer tried to make himself participate to Maeve's funeral. He really did. But the guilt… The sight of her being executed right before his eyes… It was just too much. He could only hope that wherever she might be she'd understand._

 _Yet he couldn't not attend, either. So he stood in the sidelines, a subtle distance away from the rest of the grieving people, unseen. The priest's words carried to him just fine, tearing his heart to tiny, incredibly sharp pieces._

 _The sorrow and agony were so all consuming that he barely noticed that he wasn't alone anymore. The hand grabbing his startled him. He didn't relax at the sight of Scarlet's familiar face. His eyebrows furrowed. "What are you doing here?"_

 _"You texted me, hours ago." Scarlet frowned and observed him with sharp eyes. "Have you taken something?"_

 _Spencer shook his head, in some distant, tiny part of him proud that he could at least swear that much._

 _"Good." Scarlet's hold on his hand tightened. "She'd never forgive you if you did something that idiotic using her as an excuse."_

 _They stared at the ceremony in a silence, each ticking second making Spencer feel more and more out of breath. He couldn't scream. Could barely breathe._

 _"I… I couldn't save her." Was that his voice? His mouth opened twice before he managed to continue. "I was right there, only steps away. And I couldn't save her."_

 _Scarlet sighed heavily, her shoulders slumping. Her hand trembled just a little bit in his. "Spencer, don't…"_

 _Spencer was barely able to hear her. All that fit into his consciousness was the sight of the black coffin which slowly disappeared to the gaping hole on the ground. "If we can't keep even those we love safe… Then why the hell are we doing any of this?"_

 _Scarlet squeezed his hand so hard that it hurt. "Because we've never known how to give up. Which is good because the second we do we're as good as dead. And…" She gritted her teeth. "I don't know about you, but I'm not ready to go yet."_

 _Spencer said nothing. She'd never know that he'd very seriously contemplated taking drugs right before he texted her instead. And he'd never know that less than twenty-four hours earlier she suffered her first miscarriadge._ /

* * *

After facing the grim sight at the place where The Doctor died and Spencer was held captive briefly Aaron and JJ called around hospitals. Claiming that they were attempting to locate an undercover agent who'd been compromised. Each time no John Doe matched their vague description. Until, eventually, one did.

Aaron's feet felt heavier than lead while a petite, grim faced young coroner with sparkling green eyes led him towards what felt like doom. She'd told him a lot, including a list of the deceased man's injuries, but the unit chief had barely managed to pay attention. He didn't really register even JJ, who was walking beside him despite the fact that her whole body was shaking uncontrollably. They were both so pale that the coroner had frowned several times, most likely wondering if she should offer them chairs.

And then, before either agent was ready for it, they reached their destination. On a metallic table lay a carefully covered body. Aaron couldn't help noticing how well the height and body shape matched with Spencer's. Too well for comfort. His broken heart sunk all the way to his stomach.

The coroner seemed to notice as much. She offered them both a sad look. "We'll make this is fast and painless as possible, okay?"

Aaron gritted his teeth to a point where he tasted blood. He lifted his chin defiantly although at the moment there was very little fight in him. "Just do it." His voice sounded horribly hollow.

Mercifully the coroner seemed to understand and instead of offering any more words she grabbed the white sheet. Aaron shivered a little when feeling a hand grabbing his with a desperate force. It took two seconds too long to realize that it was JJ. He held back, struggling to hang on to whatever little breath he had left. What little composure he had left.

Then the sheet was gone.

Aaron wasn't sure if he or JJ was the one who shuddered violently. The dead man's face had been beaten horribly, to a point where a perfectly certain identification would've been impossible. But Aaron didn't need the face to recognize one of his own agents. His gaze wandered, eager to look away from the damaged nose, cheeks and chin. What he found made it nearly impossible to hold back a gasp.

"It's…" He cleared his throat when his voice threatened to break. "It's not our agent."

There was no wound from the bullet Spencer took in his desperate attempt to save Maeve.

The coroner covered the body swiftly. She might've said something but neither of the agents heard it, then left them alone. It became horrifyingly quiet.

In a shock and numb from the emotional turmoil Aaron and JJ stood still as statues. Staring at the man who might never be identified, whose loved ones might never get to know what really happened to him. Despite the sickening circumstances all that succeeded in making sense to them was that there was still hope. Maybe, despite all the blood they saw in that sickening place, Spencer wasn't done fighting just yet. Maybe the genius would eventually find his way back to them.

Maybe the next body in front of them wouldn't be Spencer Reid, either.

Aaron said nothing when eventually JJ began wiping away tears, even if more kept coming in a constant flow. Aaron himself couldn't cry, couldn't even really think. Neither of them noticed how his phone vibrated, ringing on a silent mode.

* * *

The calm right after a storm is a funny thing. All the planning, all the fear, all the stress. And finally the corrupt layer of the CIA was going down. And Scarlet's list… It had been completed. Down to the very last name. Including Luther's.

Did those people deserve to die? Did any of those people who'd suffered since the beginning of the whole, exhausting nightmare deserve what happened to them? Was there really any justice, in any of it?

For the longest time Dante just stood there and waited. For what he didn't know because a fairly large part of him already knew that no one would walk out. With the loyalty of a well trained puppy he stood firm and waited. It was unnaturally quiet until he realized that he had company.

David's face held what looked like genuine sympathy. It was the last thing someone still clinging desperately to hope wanted to see. "Why don't you come inside? It's getting cold and it looks like you're already freezing."

Dante gritted his teeth. Trying to bite back the sharpest edge of what was to come. "I'm perfectly fine", he only half snapped in the end. Spencer would've been proud.

David, however, wasn't dropping it yet. The older man sighed, looking at the ruins before them. "Dante, I'm sorry. But… I saw the security tapes of the bank across the street. No one came out of that building."

Dante was about to do something that he might've regretted dearly. On the last moment he was coaxed out of those rather violent thoughts by a text message signal. He stiffened, somehow knowing to expect bad news.

David tensed up as well at the look on the smaller man's face. "Dante? What is it?"

Dante's jaw tightened. "That was… an old friend. One of Spencer's favorite aliases has been involved in an incident."

* * *

At some point Penelope fell asleep. Ilsa also dreamt on, muttering occasionally in her sleep. For a few times Derek was sure that he heard her call out to her daddy. It broke his heart.

Derek himself couldn't rest. Not when they didn't have the slightest clue of where or how Spencer was. The nightmare should've been over already. So why wasn't Spencer giving them even the slightest sign of himself?

Despite his boldest and hardest attempts Derek was close to falling asleep until a very irritating, buzzing sound pulled him back to full awareness. He groaned and turned his gaze, only then noticing his cell phone. He blinked twice. Then, shaking his head to focus, he grabbed the item and frowned upon discovering that the call was from Savannah. "Hey", he greeted quietly, careful not to wake up the sleeping duo. "What's wrong?"

" _I've been trying to reach you for ages!_ " There was a great deal of tension in Savannah's voice. He heard her gulp. " _You… You should get here, as fast as possible._ "

Derek's blood ran cold. He sat up, tension grabbing a hold of all his muscles. "Are you alright?"

" _Yeah, yeah, of course._ " There was a brief pause. " _Derek, we received a patient who is probably Spencer. And… The last time I saw him it didn't look good._ "

* * *

They'd seen it coming for a while. Dr. Harry Solomon had a sheen of sweat on his forehead from how hard he attempted to help their patient avoid it. But in the end there was no dodging the inevitable.

Their John Doe slipped into a yet another cardiac arrest.

Dr. Solomon swore loudly, startling the young nurse stood on the opposite side of the dying man. "We're not losing this one, do you people understand? We've brought him back before and we'll do it again!" He glared at the man on his table. "You're not done here, do you hear me?"

* * *

Spencer felt oddly lightheaded while Maeve held out a hand for him. There was still a smile on her face but he wouldn't have needed to be a profiler to catch the sadness behind it. It was the perfect replica of the expression she wore the first and last time he met her. "A one more dance?" she suggested, her voice breaking slightly. "Before I become nothing but a memory."

Spencer frowned. He didn't even notice how his body reacted automatically, seeking her out and holding her close. If only… "What are you talking about?" he murmured, tightening his embrace as much as he dared to. Unwilling to let her slip away again.

"Because we both know that you're not going to stay, not yet. You can't." Maeve buried her face into his shoulder, closer still even if she was already disappearing. "Your team… And especially Ilsa… They need you, Spence."

Spencer squeezed his eyes tightly closed. He wondered which one of them was trembling miserably. Maybe both of them. There was so much he needed her to know…

"Shh… It'll be alright." Maeve's kiss on his cheek felt so real, so right, that he almost fell for it. "You'll be alright."

Spencer moved his head just a little bit, savouring how it felt pressed right against hers. He breathed in deep, taking in her scent that he'd never had the chance to really inhale. He never got to hold her, either. "How can you know?" He was growing tired of trying to believe in miracles.

He felt Maeve smile before she whispered. "Because I know you. So don't worry. You'll have an amazing adventure." The next words were so quiet that they could've as well been a mere breath. "I love you."

Spencer smiled a little despite the tears running down his cheeks. Despite knowing full well that this was a final goodbye. "I love you, too." Because in the end it'd been the only thing he really wanted to say to her.

It was a merciful thing that his eyes were closed because it kept him from seeing that he was already dancing alone.

* * *

That the patient's heart stopped wasn't a surprise. The fact that all of a sudden it was beating again was most certainly a shock. Yet there it was, drumming on furiously yet stubbornly. It was impossible to even imagine where such willpower could possibly come from. Nor did Dr. Solomon waste time on wondering too much.

The experienced professional swallowed hard, his shoulders slumping with relief. "Alright, you stubborn bastard… Still in the game?" He nodded, staring at his patient's battetered face. "Then let's beat this."

No one in the room noticed the single tear running down Spencer's cheek.

* * *

Penelope remembered everything about the day her parents died. Down to the very last detail. The weather. The exact words with which the bleak information was delivered. Despite all the years passed – even after all the horrors and wonderful things she'd seen – she was fairly sure that she'd still recognize the person who delivered the blow. There are things that a human mind simply can't forget.

It was without a doubt the biggest and most horrific loss she'd ever endured. But she did remember the pitch black days when Spencer and Emily left them almost as vividly, even if those two were eventually able to come back. Well, technically Spencer was still struggling to find his way back home.

Wiping her eyes roughly Penelope looked towards Ilsa. The little girl was still fast asleep, blissfully unaware of all the tragedy going on. Of the fact that she might still lose her daddy.

Penelope sighed, not noticing how her eyes blurred. Her hand shook when she stroked the sleeping child's hair gently. Ilsa leaned closer, humming with contentment. Trusting in a way no adult would manage. The analyst's stomach knotted.

She couldn't bear even imagining that little girl going through the grief and pain she once did, that sorrow which would linger on the edge of her mind for the rest of her life.

 _Don't you dare, boywonder_ , Penelope mused. Fighting to control the outburst of emotion that wanted to erupt. _If you put Ilsa through that… I'll never forgive you._

* * *

The amount of people at the hospital's waiting room had grown dramatically. Derek had been the first one to make it there. As soon as they could after receiving his message Aaron and JJ showed up. It took a little longer before David, Alex and Emily marched in, shadowed by Dante. Even without David's text they would've seen the exact course of the events that'd taken place from the look on the CIA agent's face.

The very last piece of the only family Dante had left was currently fighting for his life and none of them had any idea how things would turn out.

While Aaron stood sullenly before a window, staring out with a glare, and Derek kept pacing around without pausing for even a second the rest of them huddled together. David, JJ and Alex were talking quietly, the blonde wiping her eyes occasionally to erase a treacherous tear. They were a family, struggling furiously to stay strong for their youngest. Together.

Emily noticed this because she felt like an outsider looking in.

She was a part of that family once, too. Then came Doyle and the pure hell that followed. She came back to a world that'd moved on without her, a ghost trying to settle back to a life that wasn't there anymore. In a way Doyle succeeded in killing her. He cut her off from her own life, the one she'd fought with tooth and nail to build. They were still her most important people, the biggest piece of her world, and she knew how much they cared about her. But fate had forced them into growing apart.

She could only hope that Spencer would be luckier.

Determined to not go any further with that thought Emily turned her gaze towards Dante. It broke her heart to see how the man's eyes filled with a tiny glimmer of hope whenever someone approached the room. It was the expression of one waiting for a miracle. Against all facts and odds a part of Dante was still waiting for Scarlet, Luther or perhaps even Leo to walk in after a one more magic trick. Each time that hope was shattered seemed to hurt a little more.

Emily remembered how she met that team, once upon a time. They helped her get close to Doyle, back then. And later they helped her stay safe during her death. It wasn't until after her return she found out that Spencer used to be a part of that team as well, when she caught Spencer hiding a rare picture of them together.

It was Spencer's other team that kept her alive while she was hiding abroad, still horribly injured. They were seasoned agents with whom Doyle would've had no way of connecting her. While she still needed someone present constantly to keep watch Dante spent numerous hours as her companion, watching old foreign movies with her. Neither was aware of the person indirectly linking them together, especially since Emily went by a false identity until it was all over. Somehow Dante's presence helped the suffocating home sickness threatening to overcome her. If only she knew…

Another nurse sped past the doorway. Yet again Dante's gaze shifted, full of unrewarded hope. This time Emily made up her mind.

While they both had a place in this bizarre family at the moment neither felt like they belonged and she decided that they needed a break.

It spoke loudly of Dante's current state of mind that she managed to startle him. She aimed what was hopefully a reassuring look towards him. "C'mon. Let's take a walk." She rolled her eyes at his arched eyebrow. "I know that the patches aren't helping you any more than they help me. So let's go." She went on upon noticing how he tensed up. "They'll call us immediately if they hear anything new."

It was blatantly obvious that Dante didn't want to go. But the temptation to get away from the room's heavy air was too much. He smirked, even if it didn't look quite right. "Lead the way, wildcat."

Emily wasn't sure how long they stood outside, smoking in a quite comfortable silence. Both finding an odd hint of comfort from knowing that Spencer would've scolded them over the habit they hadn't managed to leave behind. It was miserably cold and raining heavily. That's why it took a while before Emily realized that it was something else making Dante shake. She didn't have the heart to call him out on the tears running down his cheeks along with water.

* * *

For several nightmarish days it was uncertain whether Spencer would pull through. The waiting, the possibility of losing him… It was getting to the entire group. Especially when his critical condition was combined with the stress over making sure that his real identity wouldn't be revealed, just in case the CIA was still looking for him.

But they fought for him. One day after another. And finally, on day eight, a weary faced doctor told them that they were willing to try and see if the patient was ready to wake up.

* * *

Spencer heard quiet, muffled voices. Or perhaps they were that way only to him. He tried to reach out for them but they seemed to be just out of his grasp.

"… hear me …"

"… your eyes …"

"… Spence? …"

Spencer should've felt frustrated and guilty. But he didn't, couldn't. Not with all the comfort the possibly imaginary voice gave him. The dark he slipped into wasn't as horrifying as the one he'd been wandering through.

* * *

The second time he came much closer. This time he was able to recognize the voice talking to him. There was a hand holding his. Wasn't there?

"Reid?" Alex's voice was a little tired and soft. "Hey, sleepy head, are you with me?"

Spencer would've wanted to say something. Anything, really. But as it was he just didn't have the strength. He wished that she understood.

Stubborn to a fault, however, he forced his fingers into twitching. It wasn't really even a squeeze but he hoped that she felt it anyhow. Sensed him there.

Alex did. Her hand tightened reassuringly around his. "That's good, you're doing great." A thumb rubbed soothing circles to the back of his hand. There was a highly irritating, beeping noise, somewhere at his right. It was quickening rapidly. "Shh, calm down. It's alright, I promise. Everything's alright."

Falling asleep with her hand still keeping him grounded Spencer actually believed that it might be alright.

* * *

On the third time he was in another room. There was a different scent, the air around him felt warmer. He wasn't in that public hospital anymore, then. It helped him feel safe, even if only a little bit. He wasn't alone.

It took all of Spencer's will but eventually he was able to open his eyes, just a little bit. After several infuriating moments his vision cleared enough to distinguish Dante sitting on the chair beside his bed. The smaller man had brought his legs to his chest and seemed unnaturally still. The man's eyes stared vacantly at some unidentifiable spot. It took at least a minute before their gazes met and in that moment Spencer's heart cracked as he _knew_.

In an absolute silence the two of them grieved the loss of one family, the rain pouring outside doing all the talking for them.

* * *

The fourth time Spencer woke up alone. In a way it was a relief. There were so many things buzzing in his mind that he needed to try to make sense of them by himself.

A trip to the bathroom, however, couldn't exactly wait.

Slowly and cautiously Spencer pushed himself to a sitting position. The surge of agony was horrific, stole his breath, but he breathed through it. His facial muscles were so tight that it actually hurt.

 _That was the easy part…_ , he mused sullenly.

If there was anything Spencer was it would be stubborn. And so, ignoring the cautioning of pure reason, he shifted so that his feet dangled outside the bed. Another tsunami of pain. Another set of breathing exercises. Then he was trying to stand up.

It was without a doubt one of the most awful things he'd ever experienced. But by some miracle he managed two steps. As his body began to crumble the room's door opened and firm, secure arms caught him.

"I've got you." Derek sounded out of breath but familiar. Safe. "I've got you."

Under different circumstances Spencer might've teased his friend over sounding so emotional. As it was he could only smile faintly. Why was he smiling, with how much he was hurting? "I know." And he did. "'m not going anywhere."

Spencer didn't protest against Derek helping him to the toilet because he knew which one of them needed the aid more.

* * *

The fifth time Spencer woke up there was a weight resting half on top of him. Even though it was by no means comfortable he didn't manage to feel the alarm he should've. With far less effort than the previous two times he opened his eyes. His heart swell and his whole body filled with warmth at the sight of Ilsa's sleeping figure, nestled as close to him as possible. She must've waited for a mighty while for him to wake up.

It felt surreal, all of it. After all the losses… Grief… Agony… It was over?

Spencer's hand wasn't steady when he stroked her hair gently. He didn't realize that he was crying until his eyes became so blurry that he couldn't really see anymore. His head was buzzing.

Where would they go next? After everything she'd lost because of him, after all the fear and danger he brought into her life… What sort of a father would he be?

"Now what are we going to do, huh?" he whispered, his voice breaking.

"Why don't you let us help figure it out?"

Aaron's familiar voice made him look up instantly. His whole remaining family, Emily and Dante included, was standing by the room's doorway. A united front. Even though the world was still unsafe and uncertain for Spencer and his little girl they wouldn't be facing it alone.

Spencer didn't quite manage to smile. But he nodded firmly, his chest feeling a little less tight. There was a hint of a spark in his eyes.

Maeve… Scarlet… Leo… Luther… For all their sakes he'd give it his all. He'd fight for as long as there was even a single breath left in his body, for his family in this world and the one in the next.

* * *

TBC, for an epilogue

* * *

A/N: Yup, that's right. He's alive. (BEAMS) But, what will the future hold for him and his little girl? Only the epilogue will tell.

Was that worth the wait? At all? PLEASE, do let me know.

Awkay, I've really gotta go now. Until next time! I really hope that I'll see you there because – I can't believe I'm typing this – it's the final time, for this tale.

Take care!

* * *

Patricia: Such amazing compliments…! (BEAMS, and hugs) Gosh, I really hope that I'll be able to give you lots of equally pleasant reading experiences.

Monumental thank yous for the review!


	17. Epilogue

A/N: PHEW! It took me DAYS to get this chapter done. I guess I was reluctant to let this story go. Gosh, I can't believe that this is coming to an end! But first…

THANK YOU, so much, for all your reviews and love! You totally boosted my desire to finish this story. (HUGS)

Awkay, because I'm sure that you'd like to know how this ends… Let's go! I really hope that you'll enjoy the ride.

* * *

Epilogue

* * *

When she was just a little girl Ilsa had already buried almost all of the family she'd known. Her mother died when she was born. Then she lost Big Auntie (1), who'd been basically her mom and grandmom. Then Leo. Then Scarlet and Luther.

Too many losses that she could only understand partially, too many funerals.

That dark evening it was time to say goodbye to the two dear friends they lost most recently. When candles lit up the night Ilsa snuggled closer to her daddy, tears blurring her eyes. She clung to his sleeve as tightly as she possibly could, her tiny heart breaking in her chest. " _I hate candles_ ", she whispered, slipping to Russian. It was her comfort language, Big Auntie's language.

Her daddy kissed her hair gently and pulled her closer. It helped both of them feel a little warmer. " _So do I_ ", he confessed quietly.

Spencer's heart ached while Ilsa began to tremble in his arms. Her reaction wasn't caused by crying but by holding back the tears. She was far, far too young to hold herself back in such a way.

Spencer's lips opened but Ilsa was faster. The barely audible words were like a stab. " _Will they come back? Like auntie Emily did?_ "

Spencer bit his lip, so hard that it almost bled. Of course Ilsa had known that he only faked his death. There was no way he could've been cruel enough to hide the truth from her. But Emily… was a different story. Explaining her return to life to a child who barely understood what death meant was an exhausting, heart taxing task.

Paddling furiously against the pitch black memories and fresh, raw grief Spencer sighed heavily. He pulled her just a little bit closer still. " _No, sweetie. They won't_ ", he murmured, his eyes stinging hellishly. " _Auntie Emily had to hide to protect us and herself. The others… Do you remember what I told you, after Emily?_ "

Ilsa nodded slowly, leaning heavily against him. " _Yeah._ " Her voice had never sounded so small. " _They were needed elsewhere, so they had to go. Even though they didn't want to._ "

Spencer nodded slowly and kissed her head. He tried not to notice how badly he was shaking. " _That's right_ ", he breathed out, hoping that she didn't hear how his voice broke. " _But it's like with the stars. They're still there, even if we can't see them._ "

Ilsa nodded fiercely. Quite possibly not even noticing the tears drying slowly to her cheeks. Her hand shook a little bit when she placed it to her chest. " _For as long as they're here._ "

" _For as long as they're there_ ", Spencer confirmed. He wasn't quite able to hold back his own tears. It was alright. Ilsa needed to know that it was okay to show her emotions, even sorrow.

Since then it was stunningly quiet. Which wasn't a surprise, considering that only a selected few people were present. This wasn't like Leo's memorial service. Scarlet and Luther… They didn't die heroes but as victims of the world they'd been pulled into. They were good people, deep down, despite the horrible things they'd ended up doing. Only those who knew that, who knew who they really were, needed to be there for this final farewell. Which was why no more than ten people had gathered to watch how those two were laid to rest beside Leo and Gabriel.

Spencer was so focused on his little girl that he shivered with surprise when a hand grabbed his. Turning his head he saw Emily, whose gaze was fixed firmly on the fresh graves. Her eyes weren't quite dry while she squeezed his hand, almost tightly enough for it to hurt. After a brief moment he held back. It was 'We made it', 'I'm sorry' and 'I'm here' all rolled into one.

Later it'd be the time for healing. For figuring out where he belonged in the world anymore, now that so many parts of it had come crashing down. For moving forward. But now, for a few moments, it was finally time to really stop for a bit and mourn all that'd turned to ashes and dust.

* * *

Much later that night Emily was tossing and turning in the bed of her hotel room. It was comfortable. The room's temperature was just right. But for the life of her she couldn't find any ease from the itch burning under her skin.

Funerals of too many friends do that to a person, she figured bitterly.

She shivered a little when her phone began to ring. She wasn't surprised to disover who the caller was. "You're not in the mood for sleeping, either?"

" _Sleeping's a waste of time._ " Dante sounded exhausted, though. " _I've… been trying to figure out where to go next, actually._ "

"How about London?" It slipped out far less subtly than she'd intended. Not that she would've ever been much for sugarcoating things. "I have… a friend who has a minor position in the British government. He might have a job offer for you, if you're interested." She decided to add a one more hook. "If I know him at all it's something stupidly dangerous."

Dante was quiet for a very long moment. " _You know, wildcat… Let me think about that in the morning, yeah? Right now there's something else on my mind._ " And a second later there was a knock on her door.

Emily had to bite back a chuckle. She rolled her eyes and put away her phone after opening the door. "Still one for dramatics, then."

Dante grinned while pocketing his phone. "I was starting to climb up the walls alone. So sue me." He revealed a plastic bag. "Ice cream?"

Emily stepped aside, letting him enter. It was almost disturbing how natural this all felt despite how long it was from the last time. "I don't want ice cream."

"Me neither."

The door closed quite a bit more loudly than the people in the next room probably would've appreciated.

* * *

It was a long night for the BAU-team. Spencer refused furiously to be returned to the hospital although he would've clearly benefitted of one. And for rather understandable reasons he kept pain medication to the minimum. He managed to maintain a brave, strong front for as long as Ilsa needed him. But once she was fast asleep keeping the act together wasn't quite so easy. The day's emotional strain did nothing to help him feel better.

He was only half aware of what was going on when David led him to a car and began to drive. His head cleared marginally when he realized what their destination would be. "You're taking me to your place?"

David nodded. "I've got more than enough room. And since you're basically discharging yourself against medical advice you need an adult around to make sure that you're alright."

Spencer fidgeted a little from discomfort. He wasn't a huge fan of the idea of having a babysitter. But he could see that with all the scares he'd given his team they were determined to make sure that he'd be alright. And as a dead man walking he didn't exactly have a place to stay in. So he relented silently, warmth fluttering in the pit of his stomach and filling his whole body.

Slowly and carefully, not wanting to disturb his sleeping daughter or his injuries, Spencer picked up Ilsa and began to make his way towards David's mansion. The older man followed close behind, obviously keeping an eye on him. He was led to what turned out to be a massive guest room. Instantly he lay his daughter on the bed. Separated from the warmth of her daddy Ilsa frowned and whimpered in her sleep but soon settled with a sigh.

They watched her in a silence for a few moments until David dared to whisper. "Maybe you should get some sleep, too", the man suggested. "It's been a long day."

Spencer shook his head. True, he was exhausted. But he also knew that there was no way he'd be able to sleep that night. Even if he'd by some miracle fall asleep he didn't feel like facing the nightmares. "No, I'm good."

David nodded. There was understanding in the man's dark eyes. "Take your time to get settled, then join me downstairs. I think we both need a lot of strong coffee."

Spencer agreed with all his heart. Once David left the room he headed towards the toilet and splashed some cold water on his face. Whatever he attempted to accomplish with it didn't happen.

About twenty minutes, or perhaps twenty hours, passed by until Spencer finally felt ready to leave the room. He headed downstairs and froze. The scent in the air… It didn't come from coffee. He entered the kitchen almost cautiously and froze.

Derek, Penelope, Aaron, JJ and Alex were all there. His entire BAU-family. They were cooking pasta, with red wine to provide further inspiration. There was a glass of water and an open spot waiting for him.

About a lifetime ago they celebrated Emily's return to life with a pasta party. It made sense that they celebrated his as well. Spencer's heart swell at the thought. Gosh, how lucky he was to have so many people to come home to.

It took some time before they noticed him standing there. The ladies smiled at him encouragingly, their eyes suspiciously moist. Aaron merely nodded, that simple gesture somehow speaking more loudly than any words. The grin on Derek's face would've melted anyone's heart.

"So." There'd never been the kind of a look in David's eyes he saw then. "Would you like to join us?"

Spencer smiled through the searing sensation in his eyes. And did the only thing he could've possibly done. He joined his team, for a moment letting go of all the pain and sorrow with the help of his family.

They cooked. They ate. They didn't talk much but that was alright. Words were overrated, anyway. Once they were done they settled for a silly soap opera marathon.

For a few hours they watched and amused themselves with trying to profile which soap opera cliché would be used next. All of a sudden they became aware of just how quiet their youngest had become. The alarm, however, faded soon when they looked at him.

Somewhere along the way he'd fallen asleep, his head having lolled to rest against Derek's shoulder and his hand almost pressed against JJ's thigh. He was finally getting the real, proper rest he needed. And for the first time the team dared to muse that perhaps everything would be alright, after all, eventually.

* * *

Two weeks later four people were at a tiny, secluded airstrip that few knew about. Close to them a private jet was ready to take off. New lives were about to begin.

Spencer's eyes were soft. Full of both longing and support. "Take care of yourselves, will you? Both of you."

Emily nodded. Dante grinned and winked. "You know me. I always fall on my feet." His hand lingered behind the woman, so close to a certain area that it might've earned someone else a broken wrist. "And how could I not be all good with this one as my bodyguard?"

Emily rolled her eyes. It looked like she hid a smile. "Keep going like that and I'll slip laxatives to your food", she dared the smaller man. Then hugged Spencer as tightly as she dared to from his still healing injuries. "You take care of you both, too. I'm going to miss my favorite girl."

Ilsa smiled, even if it crumbled soon. She was a little too young to understand why everyone seemed to be leaving her. "I'll miss you, too." The child's eyes then turned towards Dante. And all of a sudden she was hugging the two of them with all the might a little girl could muster. "Please don't become candles."

Emily seemed confused. Dante understood, if the flash of ache in his eyes was any indication. "Don't be silly, princess. Of course we won't." He poked at her nose with one finger, succeeding in making her giggle. "You're my favorite girl, too. And I'll see you soon."

"You swear?"

Dante nodded very seriously. "I wouldn't dare to break a promise to you, kiddo." And the man clearly meant it, from the bottom of his heart.

The adults exchanged a few more words, along with loudly speaking looks that Ilsa wouldn't understand. Emily and Dante would visit often, of course they would. Which didn't make saying goodbye any easier.

Spencer and Dante looked at each other. "Who would've thought that we'd be the last of us left, huh?" the smaller man murmured, so softly that Ilsa wouldn't catch it. His voice broke a bit.

Spencer pulled in a deep, tight breath. He sure didn't. "Let's make it count", he decided on.

Dante nodded firmly, making a yet another promise.

Their whole bizarre team had always been on borrowed time. By some miracle the two of them had been given an extra lease. They'd be damned if they didn't make the most of it.

All too soon the father and daughter watched the jet taking off. Ilsa nudged at Spencer's sleeve fervently, effectively pulling him back from his thoughts. "Daddy?" She seemed afraid and was unable to look away from the jet that was leaving the country behind. "Will we see them again? For real?"

Spencer smiled and held her closer. It didn't slip his attention that she was using English, even though she was in a distress. "Of course we will, sweetie", he assured her softly. "They'll be just fine. They have a lot of guardian angels watching over them. And so do we."

* * *

A month later Spencer was recovering quite nicely, even if it'd still take time before he'd feel like himself. He was still in pain most of the time but it was manageable. Especially with the healing factor of his daughter's presence. It also felt good, if not a little embarrassing, to see how his team lingered as close as they could to help him. Although after a month the attention was beginning to feel a little smothering. He'd always been used to looking after himself. He didn't know how to handle the sudden network around him.

That beautiful, sunny day he was, however, alone at Rossi's house with two children. Will had work and the team had a case so he'd offered to babysit Henry. He wanted to spend time with his godkid and having another child around would also do Ilsa a world of good. She'd never had other kids to play with, which was one of Spencer's greatest regrets, and now she had the company of a boy very close to her age. After a slightly shy start the two of them seemed to hit it off. Spencer could've watched them playing together for ages.

The doorbell ringing pulled him from his musings. After making sure that the children would be safe at the backyard Spencer made his way to the door, his hand resting on his gun. He managed to relax a little upon discovering that the arrival was Mateo Cruz, who looked like he hadn't slept in days. "Are you alright?" he asked upon letting the section chief in.

Mateo nodded slowly, hesitantly. "I should be asking you that", the man pointed out. The guilt was nowhere near hidden.

By then they'd made it to where Spencer had been observing the kids. The two were still playing rather loudly, lost into a world of their own. "I'm… getting there." Nightmares still plagued him every single night. His psychiatrist had suggested that he might be suffering from PTSD. But he was alive and recovering. Wasn't that what mattered? "And so is Ilsa. Therapy helps her, too."

"She seems to be adjusting well", Mateo offered, watching her.

Spencer sighed. "This is all new to her. She's uncomfortable with crowds and she's… hesitant when it comes to other children. And she worries, all the time. That someone might come for us. That every time she lets me out of her sight I may…" He trailed off, his throat starting to feel uncomfortably tight. He rubbed his eyes. "So far she's had three big panic attacks. And the nightmares she has…" He shook his head, a sting taking over his eyes. "I… I spent far too little time with her, back at the farm, so I don't know how much of this is new. And how much she's battled with all her life." It was horrifying, to imagine the damage the life as his daughter had done to Ilsa.

"You're the best possible father to her." Mateo seemed to mean it. "Don't forget that."

Spencer really wished that he could've believed the other man. That one day he'd be convinced that he hadn't destroyed his daughter's life by his inability to let go of her. "I… thought about giving her up for adoption, when she was born. But when she looked at me for the first time…" He swallowed. "I know that there are no more criminal charges against Dante and me." How their criminal records disappeared yet again was a mystery to him. Her wondered how much Penelope and Emily had to do with it. "Still… It'll never be safe for her to be my daughter, while I'm the only one left who can keep her safe. She'll never have a normal life."

"For what it's worth… She seems very happy with her life." Mateo's jawline tightened. "Look… I'm so sorry, about everything. If I didn't help the CIA's corrupt part find you…"

Spencer shook his head, interrupting the apology firmly. "You did what you thought was right. I can relate to that." He frowned, studying the face of his former superior. "But something tells me that saying sorry wasn't the only reason you came to see me."

* * *

Late that evening David came back from a case to a suspiciously quiet house. For a few moments he panicked until some sixth sense led him to the backyard. Spencer and Ilsa lay on the grass, the little girl snuggled close to her daddy while man pointed at the sky, introducing her to the constellations.

The sight broke David's heart and made it flutter all at once. Those two… They'd lost so much time together. But he was sure that they'd make up for it. Who would've thought that Spencer, the baby of their bunch, would fit into the role of a parent so well.

David thought about slipping away unnoticed until Ilsa's voice called out. "Uncle Dave!" Her eyes sparked with joy and excitement. "Come and see the stars!"

Spencer chuckled. One hand ruffled the child's hair gently. "Well aren't you demanding." It was good to see the little girl, who still had problems with trusting any adult aside her daddy, come out of her shell like that.

David smiled. "Well, there's no way I could say 'no' to that invitation." And before he knew it he was already settling down on the grass. No one would believe him if told them about this later…

"You're still wearing a suit", Spencer pointed out, sounding amused and touched all at once.

David shrugged. "You don't see me caring, do you?" He gestured towards the sky. "I want a lesson on constellations, too."

Listening to Spencer's voice continuing the narrative David found himself relaxing. Letting go of the horror story the case just introduced to him. Right there, in that magical moment, it was easy to imagine that none of the evils of the world existed.

* * *

Of course Spencer and Ilsa couldn't stay in the safety bubble of David's mansion forever. Especially when it was revealed that he'd be able to officially become Spencer Reid once more. And so, a couple of weeks after Mateo's visit, the father and daughter stood in a large apartment, looking around with serious, contemplating expressions on their faces. The place was full of light and warm colors. Promise.

"Daddy?" Ilsa squeezed his hand tightly. "I like this."

Spencer nodded. He had to clear his throat before he dared to try speaking. "So do I." Because the aparment felt like a home. The first home they'd actually get to share.

* * *

Spencer had always told all his secrets with him mom. Of course Ilsa was no exception. The two women of his life were also his best kept secrets. For a very long time he feared that the two of them would never get to meet. Finally, on a rainy afternoon, they got that chance.

Despite having made sure thrice that his mom was having a lucid day Spencer's heart hammered with nothing short of anxiety while he led his daughter towards the room where he knew his mom to be waiting. Ilsa also seemed nervous. "Are you sure that grandma will be there?" she inquired.

"Of course she will be", Spencer reassured her. Even if he wasn't sure about anything. "She wouldn't miss seeing you for anything."

Ilsa gulped. Loudly. "What if she doesn't like me?"

Spencer's heart broke a little. Somehow he managed to give her a smile. "Don't be silly. She's going to love you."

Sooner than they were ready for it they found his mom. She was reading a book but soon sensed that she was being watched. Her eyes found his first and filled with tears while a smile brightened her face. Then she noticed Ilsa.

The little girl shifted with discomfort. For a moment she seemed to debate hiding behind her daddy but chose against it. "Hi grandma."

All tension faded away with those words. Whatever doubts there'd been disappeared. When Diana Reid folded her granddaughter to a tight, tender embrace no words were needed.

* * *

Another month flew by. The BAU-team was surprised and suspicious when Mateo invited them to a meeting. The tension could've been cut by a knife as they sat down to hear what he had to say.

Mateo sighed. "The thing is… I've been trying to continue as your section chief, to the best of my ability. But I know that my inability to believe in Reid and my lack of trust on your judgement damaged something beyond repair." His eyes lingered on JJ's a couple of seconds too long. "I should've had your backs. I should've believed in you. The fact that I couldn't do so is a clear indication that I shouldn't be your boss anymore."

A shocked silence lingered for a while. Aaron was the one to break it. "Who will be the next section chief?"

One corner of Mateo's lips twitched. "Actually… That's why I asked you here. Because I'd like to hear your opinion." The man opened the room's door. "Come in. They'd like to meet you."

The person invited did enter the room. The steps were slow but not hesitant. It took quite long before the team really took in what they were seeing. JJ and Derek grinned in a way that left nothing to be questioned. Alex smiled softly, almost fondly. David's expression was something similar. Aaron's eyes softened. Penelope bounced up from her seat with a loud squeal and rushed forward to hug the arrival.

It was Spencer Reid, with his very own brown hair and hazel eyes, stood in front of them, wearing a suit and a cautious little smile.

* * *

Years rolled by faster than anyone realized. Ilsa grew up with the help of joy, sorrow and everything in between. Through getting used to going to school, through school bullies and first friends she became a teenager. Through a brief rebellious phase during which she became a brunette, first love and first heartbreak she transformed into a happy, strikingly beautiful young adult. One ready to try her own wings. When she was accepted to a university in London she wasn't sure which one was more terrified, she or her daddy. On that day he disguised the tears in his eyes with folding her to a firm embrace.

Letting go wasn't any easier on Ilsa. During her farewell party she looked at the BAU-team with hard, demanding eyes. "Look after him, okay?" Her voice broke a little and she had to wipe her eyes. "Make… Make sure that he isn't lonely. And that he eats. You know how he can be. And that he's happy. And…"

Before she could finish Penelope's loving hug interrupted her. "Don't worry, sweetie. We'll take a good care of him." She then narrowed her eyes at Emily and Dante. "You two…"

Dante held up his hands. "I know, I know, we'll keep an eye on her. Trust me, nothing you have in mind could match with what we just got from Spencer."

The whole group exploded to laughter. Shortly after Spencer returned from his trip to a toilet and gave them a look of confusion. "What did I miss?"

Ilsa kissed his cheek. "Nothing, daddy. Nothing at all."

The following day the whole team was there to support Spencer when Ilsa, Emily and Dante headed towards London. While they watched the plane take off JJ took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Don't worry. She's tough, just like her daddy. She'll be fine."

Spencer said nothing to that. He glanced briefly towards her. "How's Henry holding up?"

JJ winced. "Horribly. I'm preparing myself for funding a lot of trips to London."

It was a moment of bittersweet happiness. Both parents watched the sky long after the plane disappeared, their thoughts on their children. Their little ones were growing up fast.

"So…", Derek stated at last. Breaking the heavy mood. "Anyone up for some Chinese?"

* * *

In a blink of an eye Ilsa was twenty-eight. A grown woman with a career and a life of her own. Which didn't mean that she wouldn't still be her daddy's little girl.

Ilsa was on her way home from work when her cell phone rang. Her long, black coat billowed around her legs as she picked up and smiled upon discovering who the caller was. "Hi daddy. How was the case?"

" _Long_ ", he admitted honestly. Sounding every bit as old as he was. " _The team caught the killer. He didn't go down without a fight, though. JJ got a bullet to her leg._ "

Ilsa shivered and frowned. Worry made her feel colder than moments ago. "Is she alright?"

" _Yeah, it was just a flesh wound. Will gets to take her home later today. She's thinking about retirement again, though._ " It wouldn't have been a surprise if she decided on it. David and Aaron had already left the team. The former became a full time author. The latter focused on educating the agents to be, even if it sometimes threatened to drive both parties mad. Alex followed soon after and was finally able to live with her husband. At the moment Derek was the unit chief of the team that'd changed dramatically over the years and apparently still enjoyed his job immensely. Even if Savannah and their two little girls often wished for his retirement. Penelope was still the team's analyst, the lively constant support behind the team. It was comforting that at least some things didn't change.

" _So…_ " Spencer's tone revealed that she'd soon hear the real reason to why her daddy decided to call. " _You made it to international news. Congratulations._ " He sounded proud. And furious.

Ilsa winced. Of course he'd hear about that one. No news concerning London slipped past his attention. "It was just a drug bust", she explained. "My team took those idiots down before they knew what hit them."

" _It was a highly dangerous group of drug dealers_ ", her daddy pointed out.

Ilsa rolled her eyes. "Oh, spare me. You don't get to lecture about the hazards of my job."

" _These days most of my job consists of dealing with paperwork and suffering through meetings._ "

Ilsa scoffed. It came out affectionately. "Like you wouldn't join the team whenever you can." She stepped through a more than familiar door to her apartment building. "It's in our blood, daddy. We'd be bored silly without an occasional rush of adrenaline."

" _I know._ " Her daddy's voice was full of warmth. " _Sometimes I wish that you wouldn't be so much like me._ "

"That's just nonsense", Ilsa accused. "I got the best parts of me from you. Why change that?"

It took a second before her daddy managed to speak. He sounded touched. " _Now you're just trying to talk me out of being upset with you._ "

"Is it working?"

" _Too well._ " Someone called out to him. " _I have to go. Say 'hi' to Henry for me, will you? I love you._ "

Ilsa smiled. Some of the weight the long, gruelling case had landed on her shoulders was washed away. "I love you, too."

As soon as Ilsa put away her phone she felt that something was wrong. She tensed up upon finding a man she'd never seen before stood behind the door of her apartment. "Who are you?" she demanded sharply.

"Are you DI Faust?"

Despite all the years passed Ilsa couldn't get used to the surname she'd been using since moving out of home. It was out of security reasons but sounded awful to her ears. "Yes. And you would be…?"

The man showed her a badge. It seemed authentic. "Agent Atlee, MI6. I've... been keeping an eye on you for a while and I have a job offer for you…"

* * *

 _ **End**_

* * *

1) Because I'm not quite sadistic enough to expect you to remember EVERYTHING after all our heroes have been through… (chuckles) This refers to Scarlet's mom, who died when the CIA found the farm. I didn't want to dive deeper into her character – too many OCs is just TOO MANY OCs – but for some reason I've always imagined her to be Russian, and Scarlet's father to have been a New Yorker. Feel free to make your own interpretations!

* * *

A/N: Gosh, that became long! (chuckles) I just wanted to take this a bit further into the future to show you guys what becomes of everyone.

Sooooooooo… Any good? A worthy closure? PLEASE, do leave a note! Final chapters are only slight less nerve wrecking than first ones…

You know… I've got a Fictionpress account and I've even toyed with the thought of typing a story of the team, minus Reid. It's harder than it should be to let go of those guys, heh.

And now… THANK YOU, from the bottom of my heart and soul, for sticking around through this story! It's been such a long time, with several far too long gaps. But by some miracle you've all chosen to hang in there. So thank you, for every review and listing and for the love! You guys are marvelous!  
I really have to go. But maybe I'll meet you guys again…? Once more, THANK YOU! And take care!

(ps: A high five to everyone who caught the 'Rogue Nation' Easter Eggs!) (grins and winks)


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